Wurdi Baerr Stadium to get showcourt upgrade

A NEW show court with tiered seating is on the way for Torquay’s Wurdi Baerr Stadium, with a contractor confirmed to begin work on the $500,000 upgrade.

The federal government is funding the project through its Investing in the Community program, with installation of more than 500 seats set to begin in coming months.

Corangamite Labor federal member Libby Coker joined Surf Coast Basketball Association members and parents to mark the milestone.

“Grassroots sport is at the heart of our communities, it’s where our children form friendships and learn life lessons that shape who they are, and that’s why this project is so important,” Ms Coker said.

The upgrades will support larger crowds and events, with the new seating to transform the stadium into a venue capable of hosting showcase matches, conferences and school events.

Surf Coast Basketball Association secretary Rebecca Lewis said the improvements would ease pressure on volunteers and enhance the spectator experience.

“At the moment, we have to manually pull-out individual seats for our Big V games and line them up next to the court – about 50 or 60 seats, it’s a big effort for our volunteers,” she said.

“This will save us a lot of time… it’ll mean we can get more people in, especially during finals, it’ll add a really good atmosphere.”

Starena Seating Solutions will deliver the project.