Upgrade for Toongi Hall and court a hit
A new kitchen and 170 metre steel mesh fence around the tennis courts at Toongi Hall and Recreation Reserve near Dubbo have proved a hit with players and hall users, who are enjoying upgraded facilities at one of the community’s local hubs.
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the NSW Government invested $65,510 in the project on the Crown land reserve, with a further $6,253 funded from the hall’s hiring fees and volunteers also chipping in by removing the old kitchen and fence and more.
“This NSW Government investment replaced an ageing kitchen with a modern facility with the latest appliances that’s much more effective for catering and easier to keep clean,” Mr Kamper said.
“Upgrading facilities on Crown reserves supports jobs, injects money into local economies, and helps community and sporting groups and regional tourism.”
Toongi Hall, 22 kilometres south of Dubbo on Obley Road, is hired for weddings, birthday parties, community events including the annual Christmas tree family party, and meetings for Landcare and the Rural Fire Service. It also hosts a weekly ‘Beer and Chips’ get together for locals to socialise.
The $65,510 Crown Lands grant was from the Crown Land Manager Recovery Support Program, which supported communities with projects as they battled the COVID-19 business downturn.
Toongi Recreation Reserve and Hall land manager president Scott Tourle said the upgrades were being well used by the community.
“The whole project showed the fantastic community spirit of our area with so many pitching in, including local businesses donating items such as two fire extinguishers, and a kitchen installer working on the installation for free,” Mr Tourle said.
“The hall and tennis courts bring the community together to touch base with each other and socialise through so are very important for our area.”
The new tennis court fence and kitchen at Toongi Hall follows a NSW Government upgrade in 2021 that installed lights for the courts, allowing locals to play on summer nights after work and when it’s too hot during the day.