“It’s really exciting for the Redbacks and all the users of this sporting field to have upgrades coming in for our lighting and change rooms,” Simon Hancox from the club said. 

“It’s going to make a massive difference for all our participants” 

Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams made the announcement at the field on October 22 and said $240,000 had been provided through round two of the NSW Government’s Stronger Communities Fund. 

“Extensive lighting and infrastructure upgrades, including improvements to existing change room facilities will be carried out,” she said. 

Simon said there are specific lighting requirements at the Vince Inmon Sporting Complex. 

“We have been able to meet those in the past,” he said. 

Simon said the improvements to lightning will allow clubs to extend their night time schedules. 

“It will provide better opportunities for our kids to train at night,” he said. 

“With working parents these days it’s difficult to get everyone to training at 3pm or 4pm in the afternoon.” 

Simon said the current change room amenities are very dated. 

“These facilities have been here since roughly the 1980s and they haven’t really changed since,” he said. 

“We’re excited to hear what council’s plans are for that.

“There’s been ongoing issues with the sewer and smells from the toilet blocks here.” 

Lake Cathie has also been awarded $206,750 for playing surface improvements to all three fields within the complex and to install an automatic irrigation system.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has been awarded $152,854 for LED lighting to be increased to 300 lux at Oxley Oval in Port Macquarie.

Mrs Williams said the projects will result in huge benefits for the local sporting communities at each location.

“We want to make sure that all communities, it doesn’t matter where they are, get a chance to play on sports fields that are really world class.”

For more information please visit www.nsw.gov.au/strongercommunities