ACT sports minister Yvette Berry is set to boost the state of the Canberra turf with Higgins Oval in line for a $2.2 million upgrade.
Berry will announce the funding, which is part of the 2018-19 ACT budget, on Saturday, in the wake of Fairfax Media's Grounds for Concern series lifting the lid on a need for more sporting facilities throughout Canberra.
As a victim of the drought, Higgins was no longer maintained, but will be brought back into use hopefully before the end of the upcoming summer.
ACT sports minister Yvette Berry joined Higgins residents to announce the oval's $2.2 million redevelopment.
Photo: Dion Georgopoulos
Berry said plans hadn't been completely finalised as yet, but it would likely incorporate two rectangular fields, a cricket pitch, lighting, a pavilion and toilets, as well as irrigation.
She said there hadn't been any decisions made around which of the rugby codes or soccer would get use of the grounds.
Advertisement
As Fairfax Media revealed, both rugby league and soccer were crying out for more grounds, especially in Canberra's expansion suburbs in the north and south.
"This part of Canberra has grown and so has sports participation in the area, so I've continued to chat to the community about the best use for this area and engaging the sports communities as well," Berry said.
"Now we're at a point in where we can upgrade and turn back on this oval."
The oval's return from the wilderness is set to be an added bonus for Canberra.
Higgins was linked with the proposed Kippax Centre redevelopment, with playing fields at the back of the shopping centre needed for the expansion to take place.
For it to go ahead, the developers would need to help replace any sporting grounds or recreation spaces lost as a result of the proposal.
But Berry said talks had progressed too slowly and she just wanted to get Higgins done.
The Higgins Oval fell victim to the drought, but should be back in action this summer.
Photo: Dion Georgopoulos
It means another oval in West Belconnen could be in line for upgrades if the proposal goes ahead.
"This is being funded by the ACT government and it was something I asked for in this budget because we couldn't wait for the negotiations with the Kippax shopping centre. We needed to get this oval switched back on," Berry said.
"I would be asking [the developers] to commit to not only pay whatever the value of the land is, but also contribute to the community for the loss of that green space in the future.
"But on this case, I've said, 'No we're going ahead with this and we'll continue talking with you about the future'."
As part of Tuesday's budget, the annual sportsground maintenance budget will increase to $14.3 million, up by $1.2 million from last financial year, which includes $2.9 million in irrigation.
There was also $1.7 million allocated to replace the Nicholls Oval synthetic surface.
The government also has money available for their gender-equity-in-sport program and they launched their ACT diversity register on Friday.
Fairfax Media revealed female athletes were being forced to get changed on the sidelines at Canberra's sporting venues due to inadequate facilities.
Berry said all new facilities built, such as Higgins, would have "inclusive" change rooms, but it would take time to retrofit all the existing grounds and bring them into line with modern-day standards.
"Gowrie Oval was done last year. Narrabundah Ballpark, that will all be inclusive. As the new ones were built they're easy, you can just do them," she said.
"We'll have to retrofit the old ones as we go along, but there are a lot of them, they were built 50-plus years ago by men for men, not for women, so we'll continue that work."
David Polkinghorne covers the Canberra Raiders, local rugby league, Canberra Cavalry, racing and cycling, along with every other sport, for The Canberra Times.
Most Viewed in Sport
Morning & Afternoon Newsletter
Delivered Mon–Fri.
