A project more than five years in the planning has been completed right in time for the start of the 2024/2025 cricket season, with Western District Cricket Club to move their training base back to Aranda District Playing Fields after a major rebuild of the training nets.
The senior and junior club, surrounding schools, and the broader community will benefit from the new nets, with four new enclosed nets and one open public net built in place of the old facilities.
The old four-lane facility had become overgrown and unusable, with what was left of the synthetic surface badly worn, ripped and severely damaged. Wests were forced to move their training base to Kaleen Oval many years ago, but will now relish the opportunity to return to their spiritual home.
The project was completed by Cricket ACT’s preferred cricket training facilities supplier, Gabba Sporting Products, which included the complete removal of the old, outdated nets before the new five-lane facility was constructed in its place.
The new facility includes soft internal netting, and clear marking for modified junior cricket pitch lengths.
Funding for the project came jointly from the ACT Government and the Australian Cricket Infrastructure Fund (ACIF), a national initiative of Cricket Australia that provides funding for community cricket facility projects, with a focus on growing participation, promoting accessibility and inclusivity, and ensuring that cricket really can be a sport for all.
The ACIF is open to all clubs, associations, schools, councils, and cricket facility managers, acknowledging the important role that these partners play in providing facilities for community cricket across Australia.
The next round of Cricket ACT’s ACIF program is due to open mid-October, with an information session open to all eligible clubs, associations, schools, government agencies, and cricket facility managers in the lead-up.
The new cricket training facility at the Aranda District Playing Fields was officially opened by Minister for Sport and Recreation and Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry MLA, along with WDCC Patron Alicia Payne MP, Federal Member for Canberra, and Cricket ACT Chair Greg Boorer last Friday, 31 August.