Newcastle Olympic awarded potential $625,000 grant for Darling Street upgrades

Sharon Claydon MP has committed $625,000 for a new grandstand and facility upgrades for Newcastle Olympic’s Darling Street Oval should Labor win government in Saturday’s Federal election.

The current facilities at Darling Street are outdated and a barrier to growth, especially for girls and women wanting to play football.

The investment will not only benefit Newcastle Olympic’s passionate fans, players and families but also encourage more participation, particularly among the club’s four female teams.

The investment will also mean more kids, families and importantly more girls and women can get involved in community-based sport.

The announcement was a commitment to partner with Newcastle Olympic and the City of Newcastle to deliver modern, accessible facilities to meet the future demand of the community.

“This is a major investment in our local sporting clubs, a fight I have taken up alongside the community for so long,” Claydon said.

“I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and working alongside locals and local government to deliver an amazing facility for a sporting community that has long needed this type of investment.”

Newcastle Olympic president George Sofianos said the club was delighted with the commitment.

“Over the past few years we have seen major developments in the growth of our club and this announcement is vital for the future prosperity of Olympic,” Sofianos said.

“Sharon Claydon MP has been such a strong advocate for this project. I know that after the election she will get straight to work to help get this project off the ground.”