A new support package to help Canberra’s sports sector meet the challenges of COVID-19 while ensuring the community can continue to enjoy being active has been announced by the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Yvette Berry.
Ms Berry said the support package would see fees waived for hiring ACT Government sportsgrounds, Stromlo Forest Park criterium and running tracks, as well as public education facilities for a further six months.
“It’s clear that COVID-19 is going to continue to cause disruption to our lives for some time, so the ACT Government is looking at how we can ease the burden on community sporting organisations so they can stay strong during this time,” Ms Berry said.
“These measures will help sporting organisations continue to employ staff, meet the needs of their members and stay financially viable,” she said.
“We are going to come into the summer sports season very soon, so these measures will ensure support is also extended to summer sports, such as cricket, so even more organisations can benefit.”
Ms Berry said that earlier this year the Territory waived hire fees from 1 April until 30 September.
“This extension will see fees waived at these facilities until 31 March 2021,” she said.
“Pool and lane hire fees at all ACT Government aquatic facilities will also be waived for community and commercial groups from 1 August 2020 to 31 March 2021.”
She said the provision of the waivers would provide an equivalent of $2.2 million to the sector, on top of $4.7 million committed from April to September, and would ease some of the financial pressure organisations were facing.
