A new chapter has begun for the Whitsunday sporting community as the construction phase of Whitsunday Sports Park’s major redevelopment project officially got underway in Airlie Beach last week.

The $8.4 million revamp, which received $4 million in funding from the Morrison Liberal National Government, will include a commercial hospitality club with 120 seat bistro and bar, multiple change room facilities, storage sheds and toilets.

This is a game changer for sports in the Whitsundays.

Here we have a sports precinct which was run-down, battered by Cyclone Debbie and struggling to operate effectively.

These guys have developed a plan which not only enables them to generate a revenue stream to help run the sports clubs and maintain the facilities, but also create local jobs in construction and ongoing hospitality jobs; it’s a win-win.

Whitsunday Sports Park Chairman Justin Butler said the project had not been without its hurdles, but was pleased to see it getting underway.

“It’s been a long road for the people of Airlie Beach. The old changing rooms were knocked down in preparation for construction, but then we were hit with engineering delays so we had to go through a re-design process”, Mr Butler said.

“Now we’re looking forward to partnering with Hutchinson Builders to bring this amazing new facility to the Whitsunday community.”

Mr Butler said the benefits of the club will extend beyond the Airlie Beach community.

“The profits of the hospitality venue won’t just go back into the five clubs that play here, they will be spread around the greater Whitsunday sporting community to benefit all local sports of all levels, so this really is a community club.

The first set of changing rooms will be completed by April 2021, with remaining changing rooms to be in use by October 2021 and the hospitality club to receive its big opening in early 2022.

The Whitsunday Sports Park redevelopment was jointly funded by the Federal Government through the Community Development Grants Programme ($1.9 million) and the building Better Regions Fund ($2.1 million), the State Government ($3.6 million), Whitsunday Regional Council ($750,000), Whitsunday Sports Park ($41,000) and local sports clubs ($12,000).