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Construction is set to begin on Orange's world-class athletics facility, part of the $74 million Orange Regional Sports Precinct.
The competition-grade facility on the Huntley Road side of the precinct will include a fully synthetic track, grandstand and lighting.
Zauner Construction has been awarded the $4.26 million contract to deliver the athletics grandstand, change rooms and photo finish room.
The $4.55 million certified athletics track and field facility will be constructed by Polytan Asia Pacific, with the venue set to meet competition standards for elite level events.
At a particularly cold and wet sod-turning ceremony last Friday, July 3, Orange Mayor Tony Mileto said the weather was fitting considering the all-weather track they were building for our region's young athletes.
"This is hugely important for Orange," Mayor Mileto said. "This is an all-weather track, so people will be able to train in wet weather, when it's dry, and it really is an important milestone."
Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Recreation and Culture Policy Committee, Tammy Greenhalgh, said this facility was set to see a boom in athletics across our region.
"It's going to be amazing. Their numbers are going to double, if not triple… It's going to put us on the map," Ms Greenhalgh said.
"We really are a destination in the Central West, and we're growing that with the connectivity that we've got, with the airport and distance from Sydney and it makes us very attractive to host those carnivals.
"So the economic benefit to our community… it's just going to reap so many rewards."
Incoming President of the Orange Little Athletics Association Geoff Childs said the facility would be a huge game changer for the sport here in Orange.
"For years we've had to share our grounds. We've had to contend with touch football and soccer, and anybody else using the Waratah grounds. And it means, now that we'll have a dedicated facility for Athletics," Mr Childs said.
"A world-class facility as well, which means that we can have all-weather training, all-weather competition. It also means that we can train on a facility that we don't have to travel to!"
The closest competition-standard facilities to train on are in Sydney, Canberra or Dubbo, he said, which means hours of travel for athletes and an expense for families.
"Now we'll have one here! And that makes Orange a viable destination for NSW Athletics to come out and to stage their events too," he said.
"You'll see athletes from Cowra, Bathurst come across, even as far as Lithgow probably, Forbes and Parkes and Mudgee will come.
"Not only the kids. Dubbo has got up to 200 senior athletes and they're training every day. We've got young guys, university-age now, who will also be able to spend time training here. And for those of the Masters' age, it's a real boon, as it means they can continue their lifelong training in Athletics. So it's a big thing."
The Orange Regional Sporting Precinct is supported by $74.5 million in government funding – $59.5 million from the NSW Government and $15 million from the Australian Government's Growing Regions Program.
Mayor Mileto said that the facility should be complete by March 2027, weather permitting.
