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Sydney's Inner West Council has won the 2020 Local Council of the Year at the Sport NSW Community Sports Awards.

The awards recognise outstanding achievements and contributions to community sport in NSW, with the Local Council of the Year award recognising ‘excellence and innovation in the promotion of sport and active recreation’.

Inner West won for its work across a wide range of Council teams and projects, including:

• Delivering new and upgraded sport and recreation infrastructure, such as Ashfield Aquatic Centre and Dawn Fraser Baths
• Excellence in long-term parks and recreation planning 
• Providing support to local sporting clubs through training, Council’s Office of Sport, and a Sportsground Allocation Policy to ensure equity of access
• Promoting inclusion by diverse communities through recreation programs, grants, and partnerships including the new inclusion business plan for Leichardt Park Aquatic Centre

Since 2017, the Council has had a commitment to create a healthier community with actions and initiatives including: 

• Dramatically boosting funding to sporting fields, parks, playgrounds and pools in order to deliver first class sporting facilities for local families and clubs throughout the local area
• Commissioning the Recreation Needs Study: A Healthier Inner West which helped inform policy and strategy in the short and long term
• Establishing an Office of Sport and appointing an Office of Sport Coordinator to transform Council’s relationship with sporting clubs from one based on ground hire only into a strategic partnership to improve the health and wellbeing of our community
• Focusing on increasing participation of some groups that are currently under-represented in organised sport, such as girls and women, people from lower socio economic backgrounds, seniors and people with disabilities
• Building, refurbishing and maintaining magnificent facilities such as Dawn Fraser Baths and the new Ashfield Aquatic Centre 

The Council was formed on in May 2016 by the merger of the former Ashfield, Leichhardt, and Marrickville councils.

Image: Inner West Council is currently refurbishing the Dawn Fraser Baths on Sydney Harbour.

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