WHEN you walk into the new Ark Sports Centre the first thing you will notice are two indoor cricket courts that appear longer than standard size.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And that's what sets it apart from every other indoor centre around the country - it's three metres longer.
Centre manager Todd Ruttley cannot wait to open the doors and said he had been blown away by the support from the local community with seven men's indoor cricket teams already registered.
"We're the only indoor cricket centre in Australia that has 30 metres (court size)," he said.
"They're normally around that 27-metre mark and the owner-operator of the installation team that put them in - Peter Jukes from the Gold Coast - said 'you're above any other centre - because you're going that long' and we said we're here to stay, we're here to be different and this is what makes us different. This is what makes people want to come and play the Ark. As a bowler, to have a full run-up of nine metres in indoor - and straight - is going to be pretty good because they'll get full pace out of this."
Ruttley said it was exciting knowing the facility is now a reality and the "proof was in the pudding".
Each court has two individual training nets that can be brought out on a pulley system which will potentially result in three individual training lanes per court along with a bowling lane on the far side of the court.
In total there will be up to seven individual training lanes which would allow the centre to open up for school practice if it was raining.
"We can do it for outdoor cricket clubs - junior clubs, senior clubs - we can do it for representative clubs and we're hoping down the track we've got a really good affiliation with Cricket NSW and this place will end up being a Centre of Excellence for training.
"We're going to put video cameras in so we can video kids training and give them copies so they can see what they're doing wrong or right."
The centre will open on December 15 for an introduction week between 9am and 7pm where locals, players and spectators can have a walk around the facility before it was hoped competitions would commence from January 4.
"We appreciate everyone's patience in waiting for this centre to open but come early 2016 the Ark will be up and running and then you've got sports forever," Ruttley said.
Follow them on Facebook at 'Ark Sports Centre' or visit www.arksports.com.au.
"We advise keen players to register early as spots are filling fast,"?Ruttley said.
"I wish it was open tomorrow, but it's definitely happening.
"Get your teams in and when we're ready to open the doors and our teams are enjoying the facilities, it's 'The Ark' that will be on people's lips."