About

The George Brown Memorial Sportsground is located in George Brown St Eden NSW. The land on which it is built was donated to the Eden community by the late George Brown, a prominent local businessman. The Bega Valley Shire Council is the nominal "owner" of the facility. There is a Management Committee answerable to Council who maintain and run the facilty. The work on this greenfield site started in the 1980's with seed money coming from a Bi - Centennial Grant. The local Aboriginal Community played a significant and important role in establishing and maintaining the facility.

The complex tales up around seven(7) hectares of land, some of which has yet to be developed. The centrepiece is an International Rules size Rugby League field which is floodlit by sixteen lights on four poles. Adjoining it is an area of equal size which is currently (July, 2010) being transformed into two Junior Rugby League size fields situated between a cricket pitch (concrete with synthetic cover). This will enable three games of Junior Rugby League to be played concurrently and will provide another avenue for summer sport.

Amenities

Servicing the playing fields is a concrete block amenities building (24 metres by 16 metres). It contains two canteens, one of which has a b.b.q. facility built in. There are two dressing sheds with toilets and showers, an official's room with toilet and shower, a storeroom and male and female toilets for spectators. There is a car park capable of taking around one hundred vehicles. Most of the car park is bitumen sealed. There are four seating stands which can seat around one hundred people each.

Users

The facility is used by the Eden Rugby League Football Clubs. The Senior Club (the Tigers) field three teams in the Group 16 Country Rugby League competition. The Minor Rugby League fields up to seven teams in the Group 16 Minor Rugby League competition. The Eden Cricket Club will become a user when the cricket pitch and playing surfaces are completed.

For Hire

Whilst it is primarily a sporting facility the venue is available for hire to casual users. The rate is $108 per night plus a charge of $28 for the use of all lights or $15 for use of half lights.A bond of $100 is required for casual users but for big events this figure would have to be negotiated with the Management Committee. The Secretary is Mike Sheppard (64 963 214) and President is Peter Steward (64 961 061. The venue offers possibilities for community uses, e.g. Australia Day activities. The two football Clubs and the Eden Cricket Club would be willing to provide canteen/catering services at a fee.

Maintenance

While the bulk of the funding for construction of this facility has come from Federal Government funds the Bega Valley Shire Council has recently made a significant contribution to funding Stage 2 of the facility. There have also been countless hours of volunteer labour and donations of cash and kind to the provision of this complex.

Ian Horton Pavilion

The amenities building is named the Ian Horton Pavilion in recognition of the great contribution he made to the building of the complex. An Honour Board in the foyer of the building lists other volunteer donors/volunteers. Upkeep of the facility is possible because of an annual contribution from Bega Valley Shire Council and the many hours of work put in by volunteers.

This complex is one of which the local community should feel quite proud.