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Orange City Council’s meeting last night saw the $2.8 million tender for the construction of the new indoor cricket centre at Wade Park awarded to Bathurst-based Hines Construction, the same firm that built the Anzac Park indoor sports centre.

Orange Mayor Cr Reg Kidd welcomed the latest milestone towards building the centre: “This project has gone through a number of stages as sporting groups and stakeholders were consulted and designs were assembled.

“The model we’re settled on is based on a successful indoor cricket centre in the Canberra suburb of Phillip, where that building is making a big contribution to local sport.

“It’s going to be built right alongside the existing Wade Park grandstand. The new building will include a new refreshments kiosk which will give volunteers a clear view of the sportsfield, replacing the current kiosk in the basement of the grandstand.”

The new building will include administration offices for Cricket NSW staff. The centre will be the base for around 60 boys and girls enrolled in elite training for the Cricket NSW Western Zone academy program as well as other development programs.

The centre will also be used for courses for coaches and umpires as well as NSW country team training camps.

Orange City Council’s Sport and Recreation Committee chair, Cr Jason Hamling is impressed by the quality of the new building: “The final design will include four indoor cricket nets that meet international performance and lighting standards.

 “The new change rooms and kitchen area will be a major boost for spectators and participants in any sport being played at Wade Park.

“The demolition of the former greyhound buildings alongside the grandstand will be the first step to let the new centre be built on that site. There will also be space in the design to allow an area of covered tiered seating to be added in future years.

“In recent weeks there’s been a number of signs locally of the level of excellence among local junior cricketers. That’s only going to increase with high quality training facilities like this.”

The $2.8 million construction tender is the largest single component of the overall project that is worth $3.4 million.

The project is funded by: $1.4 million in grants ($1 million from the NSW Government Club Grants Scheme, $200,000 from Cricket Australia and $200,000 from Cricket NSW); $449,000 in developer contributions and $1.6 million from Orange City Council.

Work is expected to begin later in the year on the new indoor cricket centre at Wade Park.

Images: Artists impression of the new centre (top) and its location (above).

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