Council helps sport clubs complete major projects

A RANGE of sports are set to benefit from major upgrades worth more than $1 million at Arkinstall Park, Tweed Heads.

Baseball, netball, soccer, and tennis clubs have all benefited from major projects completed in time for the 2025 seasons.

Tweed Shire Council and the Northern Rivers Baseball Association worked together to provide funding for two new diamonds and improved training fields. It is the first time in several years that residents will have access to proper baseball facilities at the venue.

The association was awarded $325,000 from the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund. It runs age-group competitions for kids, including T-ball, rookie ball, little league, intermediate, junior, and senior leagues.

Council’s manager for parks and active communities, Murray Smith, said the project had been in the works for years.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to be able to deliver something completely new for our Tweed community,” Mr Smith said.

“The Northern Rivers Baseball Association has advocated for this facility for many years and applied for the funding, and we are only too pleased to be able to work in partnership with them to make this dream a reality to allow people to now play baseball right here in the Tweed.

“Council is investing heavily in time, energy and funds at Arkinstall Park to meet the growing needs of the Tweed community and we know the upgrades and additions will be welcomed by sports enthusiasts for years to come.”

Meanwhile, the Tweed United soccer club will benefit from new LED lighting, with poles installed at three fields. The automated lighting control system, worth almost $320,000, was funded by the NSW Government’s Regional Sports Facility Fund.

The switch to energy-efficient lighting is expected to save up to 40 per cent on costs.

Major upgrades worth $825,000 to the netball facilities were also completed in November. These improvements are set to help the region compete for state and representative carnivals. Council contributed $200,000 to the netball project, with the remaining funds coming from additional grants.

Council has also appointed Voyager as the new operator of the tennis centre. Voyager is a racquet sports organisation specialising in tennis and pickleball. It has introduced coaching programs tailored for players of all ages and skill levels.