The Southern Moreton Bay community will soon have a new $1 million sport and resilience centre with work beginning on the joint Council and Commonwealth Government project.
Redland City Mayor Karen Williams joined Division 5 Councillor Mark Edwards and Federal Member for Bowman Andrew Laming in turning the first sod on the Bay Islands Sports and Resilience Hub today.
“This project will deliver a community sports and resilience centre for the whole of the Southern Moreton Bay community” she said.
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“The project will include the construction of a clubhouse and amenities block, which will also function as a resilience training centre and evacuation and recovery facility for the islands in the event of a disaster.
“When complete this facility will be the perfect complement to the $2 million joint Council and State Government sports fields that were opened right next door in October 2013.
“Together these community facilities will create a social hub that encourages healthy activity and fosters community networks by providing for a wide range of interests.”
The project is jointly funded by Council and the Commonwealth Government who both provided $500,000.
Federal Member for Bowman Andrew Laming said the opening of the community sports and resilience centre was an important milestone for the Bay Islands.
“As patron of the Russell Island Stingrays Junior Rugby League club I know firsthand just how much this centre is going to benefit kids on the Bay Islands,” Mr Laming said.
“This is the kind of infrastructure that can be a hub for islanders and create opportunity through the expansion of social programs.
“We can use an amazing facility like the Bay Island Sports and Resilience Hub to provide better connection for island youth looking for work, and expand projects like work experience in small business.”
Division 5 Councillor for the Southern Moreton Bay Islands Mark Edwards said community facilities such as this generated a real sense of pride for the Southern Moreton Bay Islands’ community.
“This facility will service all Southern Moreton Bay islands and will support the sports fields opened in 2013, as well as other community infrastructure including the public swimming pool, community garden and local schools,” he said.
“Already there have been regional sports events hosted on these fields and the new clubhouse will make the facilities even more attractive for staging sports competitions and carnivals.
“The fact that the clubhouse will also double as a disaster resilience centre is fantastic news for the community.
“With the potential for the Southern Moreton Bay Islands to become isolated during a disaster this capability could prove invaluable in keeping the community safe and getting it back on its feet after the event.”
Work is expected to be completed on the new Bay Islands Sports and Resilience Hub by October weather permitting.
