ST Pat’s players kicked a goal yesterday when they received a $75,000 grant to go towards a new clubhouse.
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Players have been without a home ground since they finished playing at Jack Arrow Oval following their 2012 season.
They have since played at a variety of fields across Bathurst and have shared the Sportsground with other sports as their main ground.
But last month the Western Advocate revealed that Bathurst Regional Council had set aside $2.5 million for four new fields to be constructed on a tract of land along Hereford Street.
The fields, to be primarily used for junior rugby league games, will be constructed on the city side of Ashwood Park – which is home to the Bathurst Bulldogs Rugby Club.
The funding announced yesterday will go towards the construction of a new clubhouse alongside the soon-to-be-constructed fields.
Katherine Waldron from St Pat’s Rugby League Juniors said funds for the clubhouse will be of huge benefit to the players and supporters.
“A lot of players felt we weren’t going to last as Pat’s anymore,” she said.
“Consequently it’s been hard to co-ordinate.”
Work has already started on the first two fields.
“From the juniors’ perspective, we’ll be able to train at the same ground,” Mrs Waldron said.
“It’ll make things so much easier.”
St Pat’s seniors secretary Gary Goldsmith applied to the Footy Facilities Fund for the grant.
“There’s no doubt, at the end of the day, it’s brought the two parts of the club closer together,” he said.
The Footy Facilities Fund is a joint initiative between the NRL and the NSW Government, to assist grassroots football clubs across the state.
Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said the fund is designed to increase participation opportunities in rugby league and improve the standard of grounds and facilities.
“This funding is a tremendous enhancement to the sporting precinct on Hereford Street and will certainly position our city as having some of the best facilities in a regional area,” he said.
“Sport is a huge part of our way of life and the NSW Government recognises that.”
Fifteen grants, valued between $6000 and $75,000, were announced this week.