Funding commitments for Woonona cycleway and Helensburgh netball courts

HELENSBURGH Netball Club has been forced to cancel the weekly Ladies competition because their courts are too dangerous, impacting 180 local women.

A Labor Government, if successful at the May 18 Federal election have committed $80,000 towards major resurfacing and drainage works for Helensburgh Netball Club.

This and a number of other funding projects have been announced by sitting Federal Cunningham MP Sharon Bird, who said the election will be a choice between a Bill Shorten Labor Government, with a plan for the services community needs, or more of the Liberals’ cuts and chaos.

Ms Bird said Helensburgh Netball Club has a proud 35-year history of netball in Helensburgh. They currently have 150 children aged between five and 17 playing for the Club. Court surfaces at the club have worn very thin, with weeds growing through and the surface is extremely slippery when it rains.

The courts haven’t been resurfaced for almost a decade – since 2010 when Federal Labor provided $50,000 in funding for two new courts, basic resurfacing and $6,500 to complete the Club House.

Wollongong City Council have committed another $40,000 towards the project, bringing the total investment of the upgrade to $120,000.

Also, Ms Bird joined with ALP councillors David Brown and Janelle Rimmer today to announce that a Labor Government if elected would work with Wollongong City Council and provide an investment of over $1 million in shared pathways to improve access for cyclists and pedestrians in Woonona, Gwynneville and Wollongong.

A Labor Government would provide $120,000 to upgrade existing shared path between Kareela Road and Campbell Street at Woonona.

To date, Labor has announced almost $140 million in local commitments for the Cunningham electorate between Helensburgh and Warrawong:

• $50 million for Maldon Dombarton Rail Link.
• $55 million for safety upgrades to the Appin Road and construction of a koala pass for rare local koala colony.
• $120,000 for upgrading existing shared path between Kareela Rd and Campbell St Woonona
• $13.5 million for the University of Wollongong – including $10 million for Facility of Intelligent Fabrication, $1 million to establish the 3D BioPrinting Facility and $2.5 million to fund the Early Start Discovery Bus.
• $18 million in extra funding for local public schools.
• Reopening the Warrawong Centrelink and Medicare Office.
• $2 million towards upgrading the netball facilities at Berkeley’s Fred Finch Park.
• $57,000 for industrial fans for Greenacres.
• $20,000 to fitout an outdoor workspace for Coniston Multicultural Men’s Shed.
• $80,000 to Mt Keira Men’s Shed for a tractor.
• $35,000 to Mt Keira Scout Camp for a new water treatment and purification system.
• $20,000 for Illawarra One Door Mental Health.