Albany Community Tennis Centre, Railways secure council support for big projects

The City of Albany has pledged nearly $1 million cash and in-kind support towards visions for the Albany Community Tennis Centre and Railways Football and Sporting Club. Councillors were met with applause from a packed public gallery at Tuesday night’s council meeting when they voted in unanimous support of an officer’s recommendation to support the clubs’ applications for further funding through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ $12m annual statewide Community Sport and Recreation Facilities Fund. Councillors also noted the City would make contributions worth almost $1 million upon the success of the CSRFF grant applications. Before submitting the applications on behalf of the groups, the City is required to rank the applications in order of priority for each municipality. The council voted on Tuesday to rank the Albany Community Tennis Centre first after a peer-reviewed assessment process. The Albany Community Tennis Centre secured pledges of $542,000 cash and $100,000 in-kind contributions from the City towards its plans for a $2.8m facility at the Centennial Park Sporting Precinct. The tennis centre project is applying for CSRFF grant funding to the value of $944,000. To be delivered by the City of Albany, Lower Great Southern Tennis Association, and Merrifield and Lawley Park Tennis Clubs it will include 10 floodlit gel acrylic courts with a proposal that a future second stage would include a final six courts. The Railways Football and Sporting Club secured pledges of $315,000 cash and $16,122 in-kind contributions from the City towards its $1.1m project to upgrade clubhouse facilities. The Railways’ CSRFF grant application is for about $380,000. “The enhancements will consequently facilitate and improve service for wider community access and attraction, including for all abilities users, women’s sporting groups, and additional community groups or functions,” an officer’s report stated.