Council to waive sportsground hire fees for winter season

Monday, 6 June 2022

Penrith City Council understands the challenges sporting clubs across the City are facing this winter season and will show its support by waiving sportsground hire fees for use of natural grass fields.

The ongoing rainfall has disrupted the start of the 2022 winter season, with some clubs having their games postponed due to the poor weather conditions while others are yet to take the field as a result of ground closures.

This move is set to benefit more than 60 local sporting clubs and associations from 13 different sporting codes who have registered for the winter 2022 season.

Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen said she hopes Council’s decision to waive sportsground hire fees for the current sporting season will offer some financial reprieve during a frustrating time for the community.

“We know that after two years of disruptions from the pandemic, our City’s club representatives and players were eager to get outdoors again but unfortunately it has been a rough start to the season due to issues beyond our control,” Cr Hitchen said.

“While we are getting to as many grass fields as we can as fast as we can, the poor weather conditions have saturated many grounds making it impossible for our equipment to be safely placed on fields," she said.

"Whilst every effort is being made to restore the condition of our sportsgrounds to allow them to be playable and safe, the surface at some grounds is still too wet.

“We thank our community for being patient and we hope that by waiving these fees it’s one less stress for our clubs and associations to think about as they continue to reschedule fixtures and plan for their next playable games.”

The latest decision to waive sportsground hire fees follows Council’s well-received move to allow free use of the City’s sportsgrounds in the 2020 and 2021 winter seasons, as well as the 2020-2021 summer season, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Weather permitting, Council continues to progress multiple projects at sportsgrounds, open spaces, playspaces and recreation areas as part of its vision for improved opportunities across the LGA, which were identified in our Sport and Recreation Strategy.

To find out more, visit penrith.city/spros

Information contained within this news release was correct as at Monday, 6 June 2022.