Umina Community Group and Umina Tennis and Futsal Club were both pleased to celebrate the opening of the first dedicated Futsal court at the Umina Tennis and Futsal Club.
The upgrades include the re-surfacing of one Tennis court with Astro-Turf to Futsal specifications to make a Futsal specific court, and replacing the roof of the Tennis Club House with a new roof.
These works were completed by Central Coast Council as part of the ongoing $8.9 million sporting upgrade project for the Umina Precinct area.
Tony Winch, spokesperson for Umina Community Group, said the Tennis Club upgrades are the first deliverables from a $8.25 million grant from the Federal Government, to which Central Coast Council added an extra $600,000 to cover auxiliary works and Bendigo Bank Ettalong Beach added $50,000 to help with design costs.
“With the Tennis and Futsal stage now delivered, we are looking forward to the next stage which will see the amenities buildings for Football, Cricket and NRL knocked down and replaced with modern facilities over this coming summer, and the new skateboard park scheduled to start construction next winter,” Winch said.
Neil Packer, President for the Umina Tennis and Futsal Club was all smiles with the new roof for the Tennis Club house now installed.
“The old roof had been leaking for many, many years and temporary fixes were just not enough. It had become a large issue for our club, players and visitors, with many post-match gatherings and club administration ruined by the water,” Packer said.
“The Tennis Club has over 200 members, but we feel the lack of a working club house has kept numbers down as it has reduced some of the social activities that go with community sport.”
Futsal or 5-a-side soccer is relatively new to Umina Tennis Club, having started a competition only five years ago, but now has over 500 participants with many also crossing over to tennis.
Umina Tennis and Futsal Club has been working with Central Coast Council and a number sporting bodies to design a brand new second dedicated Futsal court.
“We have the full support of the key stakeholder for a second court and have now moved into looking for grants or sponsors to fund the construction of the court,” Parker said.
“Once in place we will then have a professional regional Futsal facility to allow us to open up cross region competitions.”
The broader upgrade to the Umina Precinct Area in Umina Beach is moving into construction stages, with other stakeholders including the Umina Beach Bunnies Rugby League Football Club, Southern Spirit Cricket Club and Umina United Eagles Soccer Club.
The projects will include, among other things, new amenities buildings and change rooms as well as improved drainage to the main soccer field
“The sheer size and scale of this project is daunting, and it is a large compliment to the many local volunteers from each of the clubs,” Winch said.
“This is a generational project which will build world class modern community facilities in Umina to last the next 40 years.”