The million-dollar redevelopment of Myers Park at Broadmeadow, which was officially opened on Saturday afternoon, is a testament to community collaboration.
A loose coalition of local sports clubs and community organisations had spent the better part of the past five years working towards redeveloping the open paddock that was Myers Park into a multi-purpose sport hub that could house mens and womens codes across sporting disciplines.
The ambitious $1.25 million project, led by the Broadmeadow Magic Youth Football Club, won $1 million in state government funding to install a basketball half-court, a bat ball court, fitness stations, a three-metre wide running and walking pathway, covered tiered seating, perimeter fencing and improved playing surface and lighting layout for football and cricket.
The Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, and Ward 2 councillor Carol Duncan were at Myers Park on Saturday to officially open the new facilities, works for which were delivered by the City's crews.
Broadmeadow Magic Ladies' B-grade player Kira Gleeson said seeing the wholesale upgrade was a special moment not just for the local sporting clubs but for the wider neighbourhood.
"Women's teams don't always get the best of the best," she said, "So, to have this facility opened for the the Magic club to take us in as they have, it's just amazing to have this as part of our community and something that we can access."
Councillor Duncan said the project was a testament to the power of locals banding together.
"It's so exciting and satisfying, and it's only been achieved because the clubs have worked together as a collective; it's not just for one sport or one community group," she said.
President of the Macedonian Community Newcastle, Sash Stojcevski said Myers Park has been a cherished space for football enthusiasts and the broader community for decades.
"We aimed to create a permanent home for our senior community football club, the Newcastle Suns, while also supporting our long-term primary users being our junior teams from the Broadmeadow Magic Youth Football Club," Mr Stojcevski said.
The project followed the City's 202 strategic sports plan to renew and upgrade Newcastle's sportsgrounds to improve field layout, drainage, irrigation and lighting layout, the council said in a statement on Saturday.
"We know how much our community values open spaces and their local sportsgrounds, which is why it is vital we continue to deliver important projects such as Myers Park and ensure everyone has sufficient and equal opportunities to access a variety of sport and recreation facilities now and into the future," Cr Nelmes said.
President of the Newcastle Suns Football Club, Tony Velovski, who presented the Lord Mayor with an honorary Suns-Magic jersey on Saturday as part of the opening, said the transformation has provided an enhanced facility for their community football operations.
"This fantastic facility now meets our Zone Premier League home game requirements and allows our club to host together with the junior base a venue for the final series and other regional tournaments for many years to come," he said.
