About
Bar Beach All Sports is a multi-sports facility focusing on Tennis, Basketball and Soccer within Bar Beach, Newcastle. Bar Beach, a sandy inner-city suburb of Newcastle, is the quintessential vacation town with properties dotted along the sprawling beachfront.
This state of the art facility has been largely funded by the Australian Sports Commission. Originally, the Empire Park complex had five tennis courts but was limited with 3 courts having adequate lighting. This resulted in the other two courts being limited in use, becoming rundown and dilapidated with all the focus put on the lit areas of the facility.
Due to the lack of lighting and increasingly damaged surface, the local community stopped using the facility. The conditions were dangerous with broken fencing and a rundown clubhouse.
To bring life back to the facility, a funding application was lodged to revive the facility for the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant. This grant has allowed us to deliver a facility that will increase community participation, run social competitions and restore night competitions to their former glory. The grant has allowed new fencing, new surfaces and new lighting to be installed.
The project is supported by the Newcastle City Council. Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes who has praised the project, citing the need to provide basketball and multipurpose facilities for the community.
Michael has been at the club for 13 years and he is excited to have spent the last 8 years rejuvenating the centre as President of the Club – “It’s been a long journey to see this facility upgraded so we can make best use of it,” says Michael.
