The Hall of Fame began at Bankstown Sports Club in 1988 but was relocated after a “light bulb moment” to within the new Centre of Excellence at Bankstown Memorial Park in 2013.
It is an interactive, educational resource that acknowledges and honours members of the Bankstown community for their outstanding sporting achievements and in its early years, was a point of interest to residents, visitors, sport enthusiasts and school children.
Cr Chris Cahill said it was important to keep alive the tradition of appropriately recognising members of our community who had achieved greatness and has called for the council to investigate appropriate locations for a city-wide hall of fame.
With the support of his fellow councillors, he also called for the council to immediately begin identifying local athletes who meet the criteria for induction to the Hall of Fame, with an induction ceremony in the first half of 2024 and the induction of local sporting icons into the Hall of Fame be held in the last year of each term of the council.
“The secret of this Bankstown treasure is perhaps too closely guarded, as since the council amalgamation the inclusion of additional local sporting identities who have represented Australia at the highest level, has regrettably lapsed,” he said.
“It’s an amazing look at many of our great sporting icons, but there are many who should be included.”
While it features many greats like the Waugh brothers, Steve Mortimer, John and Ilsa Konrads, Rebecca Rippon, Jeff Thomson and many, many more, Cr Cahill said others who should be included are Michelle Watson, Bankstown’s first Australian Matilda at World Cup level from 1995, Ashleigh Gardner, current Australian Test and One Day Cricket player, and Matilda Mary Fowler, just to name a few.
“It’s important we recognise those who have achieved greatness in the sporting arena, and to be included in the Hall of Fame is an “extremely fitting former of recognition,” Cr Cahill said.