A search is underway for the future home of a major new gymnastics facility in South Australia, with the state establishing a taskforce to identify the best site for its $100 million election commitment.
The planned State Gymnastics Centre is being pitched as a multi-use hub that would give the sport a permanent, purpose-built home, while also opening the door for shared use with other indoor sports.
Senior government officials from sport, planning and other agencies will make up the taskforce, which will work alongside Gymnastics SA and other stakeholders to determine the most viable location. The process is expected to wrap up later this year.
The move comes as gymnastics continues to surge in popularity across the state. South Australia is home to 16,000 registered gymnasts, with more than 30,000 casual participants taking part in programs each year. It is now the state’s second largest foundation skills sport and the second biggest sport for girls under 14.
But despite that demand, infrastructure has not kept pace.
The current State Gymnastics Centre in Marion is no longer considered fit for purpose, and around 70 per cent of clubs are dealing with waiting lists in the hundreds, leaving many young South Australians unable to access the sport.
If delivered as proposed, the new centre would bring all gymnastics disciplines together under one roof, including trampoline, tumbling, rhythmic, aerobic, and women’s and men’s artistic gymnastics.
The facility is expected to span about 4,000 square metres and include specialised safety matting, closed-pit landing systems with soft-top landing covers, ceiling-mounted harness systems for high-performance training, and equipment suitable for both community and elite-level competition.
Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing Rhiannon Pearce, said “The Malinauskas Government is committed to getting more children active and this significant investment will help to achieve this by providing a state-of-the-art new facility where young South Australians can train, compete and socialise.”
“Gymnastics helps children develop coordination, strength, balance and confidence, skills that underpin participation in almost every other sport.”
“Despite the popularity of gymnastics in South Australia, it is being held back by ageing infrastructure and a lack of purpose-built facilities and this fantastic project will address this.”
Gymnastics SA Chair Jo Marshall said, “Gymnastics provides a powerful introduction to sport, helping children develop fundamental movement skills early and encouraging them to stay active and engaged from a young age.“
“We welcome the commitment of the Malinauskas Government in helping us ensure that the location of this site is carefully chosen to ensure the best possible access for our entire community across the city and state.”
“Gymnastics is an inclusive sport that gives children and young people the chance to discover what their bodies and minds are capable of. The benefits to the future of our young people are far broader than movement alone.”
“The facility will become a central hub for gymnastics in our state, providing a space where our seven gym sports can train, learn and develop. It will also enable us to host more than 40 events each year and position South Australia to attract national and international competitions.”
Once complete, the centre is expected to become a statewide hub for gymnastics, with capacity to host more than 40 events a year and strengthen South Australia’s ability to attract national and international competitions.
