The future of a new Community, Training and High Performance Centre for the North Queensland community and the Toyota Cowboys is bright.
Today's election pledge of $10 million by Jason Clare MP, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, and Cathy O'Toole MP, Member for Herbert, complements the Labor Government's grant of $15 million to the facility announced late last week.
The $25 million commitment represents half of the estimated project budget, with the balance to be raised through club resources, as well as corporate, community and philanthropic sources.
The announcement follows the Federal Government's declaration in late March of a $15 million grant to build the multi-purpose centre, to be positioned alongside the state-of-the-art North Queensland Stadium.
The Community, Training and High Performance Centre will combine community areas, multi-sport high-performance training spaces, sports medicine and sports science laboratories, together with the Stadium and administration offices, all in a central CBD location.
Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel was thrilled to receive the news of Labor’s support.
“We welcome the funding commitment today by Federal Labor as a sign of the importance of this facility to our club and to North Queensland,” Mr Reibel said.
"To receive this commitment is a great step forward for the project as a multi-purpose community facility, and will be an important investment towards the prosperity of our regional economy."
Jeff Reibel, Cowboys CEO
Shadow Minister for Northern Australia Jason Clare said the facility will help all of Townsville.
"This centre will provide services and facilities for young boys and girls from the local community who aspire to one day play for the Fire and the Cowboys, and also attract teams from interstate and overseas," Mr Clare said.
"That means it will be good for jobs and economic development for Townsville."
Member for Herbert Cathy O'Toole described the new centre as a great initiative for the community.
"It will provide opportunities for research and health sciences, with a partnership between the Cowboys, JCU and Mater Health Services," Ms O'Toole said.
"This is a great announcement for Townsville and demonstrates that the largest city in Northern Australia should have access to facilities of this nature."
The 17,000m² site adjacent to North Queensland Stadium, located within the Townsville City Waterfront Priority Development Area, will incorporate a full-sized training field (approximately 12,000m²) and provide modern facilities currently unavailable in Townsville, including:
- High-performance athletic training environment, including altitude and heat training facilities.
- Co-located orthopaedic/sports medicine consulting, sports science and research facilities, as well as on-site sports medical consulting and rehabilitation services. (Cowboys, JCU and Mater Hospital are currently in advanced discussions around these arrangements.)
- Centrally-located meeting and office space for North Queensland Toyota Cowboys and Cowboys Community Foundation administration teams.
- Platform to expand the Cowboys’ commitment to supporting North Queensland’s elite sporting female talent, including its Memorandum of Understanding with the Townsville Fire and development of local female grassroots rugby league talent.
