The growing junior and senior ranks at the 370-strong Hoppers Crossing Soccer Club can now practice their skills day and night thanks to new pitch lighting at the popular Grange Reserve in Hoppers Crossing.

Sarah Connolly MP and Kaushaliya Vaghela MP joined Wyndham City Councillors and the Hoppers Crossing Soccer Club to officially launch the new lighting over pitch one, made possible by a $300,000 investment from the Victorian Government.

The Hoppers Crossing Soccer Club is one of the largest sports clubs in Wyndham and without adequate lighting, the club was finding it difficult to accommodate evening training for its growing membership. Weve fixed that.

The new brighter lighting provides more coverage over the ground, allowing greater numbers of teams from the junior girls to senior womens to utilise the pitch for training and development.

The Victorian Government has invested more than $1.05 billion in community sport and recreation infrastructure since 2014.

This includes a recent $110 million budget boost to the Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program as well as an extra $27 million to make sure our sports facilities are more accessible to more people.

From playspace upgrades to new lighting, investments like these provide high-quality and accessible places for Victorians to reap the benefits of sport and active recreation participation.

Investments like these are all about creating jobs, stimulating local economies and fast-tracking community recovery by improving the health, wellbeing, and social outcomes for Victorian communities.

Ms Connolly acknowledged Wyndham City Council for its commitment to the project.

For more information about infrastructure grant opportunities available through the Victorian Government visit www.sport.vic.gov.au

Quotes attributable to Member for Tarneit Sarah Connolly

"For too long clubs like Hoppers Crossing Soccer Club have been hamstrung by outdated facilities they deserve appropriate facilities they can be proud of."

"Better sport and recreation facilities make it easier for Victorians to get back to local sport and recreation when it is safe to do so, and lead healthy and active lifestyles."

Quotes attributable to Member for Western Metropolitan Region Kaushaliya Vaghela

"The new lighting at the Grange Reserve also provides more opportunities for female participation at the popular park."