By Disability Sports Australia Media Team
Disability Sports Australia (DSA) congratulates Blacktown City Council on the opening of the Blacktown Disability Sports Centre, a $15 million, purpose-built facility at Blacktown International Sports Park.
The Blacktown Disability Sports Centre will transform access to grassroots sport and community participation for people with disability in Western Sydney, setting a new benchmark for inclusive sport infrastructure in Australia.
Developed in partnership with Disability Sports Australia and fully funded by the NSW Government’s Office of Sport, the centre is the first of its kind in Western Sydney.
A Strong Commitment to Inclusion
Blacktown City Mayor Brad Bunting said the opening of the Centre reflects Council’s strong commitment to inclusion and diversity, and to helping the community be more active, more often.
Being more active, more often is good for health, good for inclusion, and good for our whole community. This centre is about more than high-performance training. It’s about giving everyone the chance to get active, connect, and enjoy the benefits of sport.”
“By providing accessible courts, tailored amenities, and strong links with the Blacktown Exercise Sports and Technology Hub (BEST), the centre supports participation from grassroots through to elite levels.
I thank the NSW Government and Disability Sports Australia for their support and look forward to seeing the lives it will change,”
It features two multipurpose courts, customised amenities, and fully accessible change rooms to support visitors balancing training with work, family, and study commitments.
NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said the project was one of 12 in a $140 million program for facilities to improve talent identification and development.
“The Centre of Excellence Fund supports the development of integrated high-performance facilities and community facilities,” he said.
“Each centre of excellence features dedicated female programs and facilities to improve pathways for females as well as multi-purpose community facilities to enable the expansion of community programs and engagement.
“The opening of the new Disability Sports Centre of Excellence is a landmark day in NSW disability sports, and this facility will play a key role in Australia’s success at the Paralympic Games and World Championships.”
Ayden Shaw, Chief Executive Officer of Disability Sports Australia said
“We know that one of the biggest barriers for people with disability to participate in sport is access to suitable facilities and availability of use.
“The Blacktown Disability Sports Centre is an important example of changing that narrative, it’s a purpose built facility that will create genuine opportunity across all levels of sport”
“We thank Blacktown City Council and the NSW Office of Sport for their leadership in making this a reality.”
“This facility sets a strong example of good practice and the next step is to build on this momentum and scale this model across Australia”
A Landmark Facility for Western Sydney:
Disability Sports Australia, alongside Blacktown City Council, will guide the use of the new facility to ensure programs and activities uphold its purpose of providing people with disability clear pathways to participate across all levels of sport.
The Blacktown Disability Sports Centre is the latest addition to Blacktown International Sports Park, recognised as one of Australia’s premier sporting precincts and home to cricket, AFL, athletics, baseball, softball and football facilities used daily by the community.
ENDS
Media contact:
Ayden Shaw
CEO
M: 0411 788 315
About Disability Sports Australia:
Disability Sports Australia (DSA) is a national non-profit, registered charity, and National Sporting Organisation for people with disability, dedicated to increasing participation in grassroots sport.
For over 60 years, DSA has been at the forefront of disability sport in Australia, starting with wheelchair sports and seeking to expand opportunities for people with disability across the country. Today, DSA is disability-agnostic, focusing on building the capability of sports organisations to ensure inclusive and accessible opportunities for people with disability.
Its goal is to raise awareness of the positive impact sport can have, remove barriers to participation, and build a future where sport is inclusive for all Australians.
