The Burnie community today celebrated the opening of the new West Park Sports Facility by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Mr Rudd joined the local families, Minister for Infrastructure and Local Government Anthony Albanese and Federal Member for Braddon Sid Sidebottom to mark to official opening.
"We are pleased to have provided almost $2.3 million to the Burnie City Council for this project from our Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program (RLCIP)," Mr Rudd said.
"The Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program is delivering local jobs in communities across Australia by building the facilities we all need for the long term.
"Here in Burnie that has meant more than 70 jobs during construction, providing a valuable boost to the local economy."
The West Park Sports Facility includes an indoor training area, new offices for sporting organisations, a function centre and corporate boxes overlooking the West Park ovals.
"The new facilities have already created great excitement in the community and will increase local involvement in sports, especially in football, cricket, athletics and cycling which are all held in West Park," Mr Sidebottom said.
"The facility encourages healthy, active lifestyles and will be enjoyed for many years to come."
"In partnership with every council in the country the Rudd Labor Government is delivering more than 5,000 small and larger scale building projects like these, including new and refurbished public libraries, sporting facilities, parks and playgrounds, and child care centres," Mr Albanese said.
"In fact, we are making the single largest federal investment in community infrastructure in the nation's history through the $1 billion RLCIP."
Mr Rudd, Mr Albanese and Mr Sidebottom congratulated the Burnie City Council and the local community for helping deliver this important project, and helping to build a stronger region for the future.