REWIND a few decades and it would be borderline unfathomable to see a Playford sport story on the front and back of The Bunyip.
Gawlerites fear not, we are still the one-stop shop for all Gawler related news, as can be seen throughout this week’s 52-page edition.
It is no secret that the paper’s Playford coverage has grown in tandem with the expansion of the area and news broke late last week that Playford is upping the ante once again.
A massive facility costing millions of dollars is set to further stamp Playford’s authority as the state’s suburban sporting mecca.
The growth of “soccer” to Aussies and “football” to most of the rest of the world within the Playford council area has been front and centre recently.
The Patriots continue to climb the local divisions, stars are shining on the world stage, and now further facilities are set to help usher in the next generation.
Simultaneously, the Playford International is drawing major crowds and top-tier tennis talent from around the world to South Australia’s north.
While Thanasi Kokkinakis’s late withdrawal was a blow for spectators, it at least provided the opportunity for a very on the nose back page headline.
The emphasis on the development of sport within the area has been largely met with open arms by the public.
In contrast, the massive developments at Lyndoch to accommodate the AFL’s Gather Round heading to the Barossa next year was widely criticised, particularly by locals.
Playford is not without its challenges, with the rapidly developing area needing an extreme amount of future proofing to accommodate an influx of people.
It is inevitable that pennies will need to be pinched to deal with the growth – but those living in Playford are either understanding of that or remaining relatively silent.
It could even be spun that expanding the local sporting scene is all part of population growth.
After all, people need ways to remain active.
In any case, there is a tangible difference between how some areas in the north react to the news of sporting developments, and perhaps rightfully so given the relevant challenges each region is facing.
