Sports groups around Samford, Caboolture, Brendale, Woodford and Bray Park have scored major funding goals in this year’s Moreton Bay Regional Council budget.

Soccer is set to kick on in Samford with a new $4 million home ground at the Parklands Sporting Complex on Mt Samson Road.

Councillor Bob Millar (Division 11) said the funding announcement was a “big league result” for both local families and amateur level sport.

“It’s part of a $5.5 million investment over coming years that will see the Samford Parklands become a hub for soccer, with new junior and senior fields, a clubhouse and car parks,” Cr Millar said.

“Netball and tennis are already settling into new facilities at Samford, and soccer will complete the trifecta.

“We’ll also be drawing up designs for football parking facilities at the Dayboro Showgrounds over this financial year.”

In total, more than $25 million has been allocated towards major improvements to sports precincts, parks and recreational areas in the council budget.

Council will spend $9 million at Caboolture’s State Equestrian Centre, with an additional $3.7 million to go towards additional soccer facilities at the South Pine Sports Complex.

Cr Mike Charlton (Division 9) said the new home of soccer at Brendale was part of the roll out of the South Pine Sports Complex’s multi-million dollar masterplan to meet increasing demand for team sport.

“The new lit and irrigated football pitch with 40 bitumen car parks puts another goal on the board in the evolution of the South Pine Sport Complex,” he said.

“In what’s shaping up as a festival of football at Brendale, the rugby paddocks are also lined up for playing surface improvements, better drainage and fewer mosquitoes.

“This budget sees Council doing the hard yards to create what I think will become one of the region’s premier amateur sporting venues.”

The Woodford Sports and Showgrounds Reserve has also been given a $255,000 budget green light.

“This is money in the bank to turn the reserve’s masterplan into hard infrastructure you can see, touch and best of all use,” Division 12 councillor Adrian Raedel said.

“It includes additional playing fields, irrigation to keep them in tip-top condition, and lighting to boot.”

Also on the cards are targeted improvements to sport and recreation infrastructure at the Les Hughes Sporting Complex, worth $635,000.

Among the projects at the Bray Park facility will be the construction of a multi purpose building for baseball and rugby, as well improved lighting and drainage.

In addition, $50,000 from the budget will go towards designing the region’s first junior motorbike complex at Nolan Park at Brendale.

Cr Charlton said it was hoped the motorcycle complex would also be a win for the environment, by reducing illegal riding in the region’s sensitive nature reserves and parks.

The budget also locks in funds for upgrades to parks across the Moreton Bay region, including new play equipment.