THE Hurstville area is doing very well out of the coming election, scoring close to $250,000 in grants for parks and sporting activities.
On March 18 Planning Minister Pru Goward and Oatley MP Mark Coure announced $200,000 for local parks and open spaces in Hurstville.
On the day before, Oatley Rugby Club received $10,000 to upgrade its canteen area; Forest Rangers Football Club received $10,000 to upgrade amenities at Gannons Park and Connells Point Rovers received $25,000 for seats and shading at Poulton Park.
Mr Coure said the $200,000 grant came from the $3 million Metropolitan Greenspace Program which was to be shared by 24 projects across metropolitan Sydney, as well as Wyong and Gosford.
The money would go into extending the shared walking and cycleway trail at Gannons Park.
"This project, along with many others, will form part of Sydney's Green Grid - which will see a connected network of green spaces," Mr Coure said.
Mr Coure said the Metropolitan Greenspace Program had granted $35 million to councils for 562 projects.
All 41 metropolitan councils and the two Central Coast councils were eligible to apply for grant funding and about $3 million was available annually on a dollar-for-dollar matched funding basis.
Mr Coure said the funding demonstrated how local and state governments collaborated well together.
"The NSW government is creating vibrant open spaces that will encourage exercise," he said.
Mr Coure was also pleased to give several sporting groups a boost with extra state funding.
"You only need to witness on a Saturday morning the high number of kids playing sport in our local parks to recognise how important sport is to our community."
