Penrith City Council has been recognised for its commitment to creating a thriving and liveable City, winning three industry awards for excellence this month.
The Council’s Gipps Street Recreation Precinct won Community Facility of the Year at the Parks and Leisure Australia NSW/ACT 2025 Annual Regional Awards of Excellence.
The landmark sport and recreation precinct (pictured below) in Claremont Meadows opened last year and has quickly become one of Penrith’s most popular facilities, welcoming thousands of visitors each week.
Developed in response to the community’s need for diverse recreation opportunities in one location, the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct features a range of sports fields, sports courts, children’s playspaces, a youth zone with skate park and pump track, dog park, outdoor fitness equipment, central amenities building, picnic and BBQ areas, and more.
Penrith Mayor, Todd Carney thanked the dedicated staff, and everyone involved in bringing the community’s vision for the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct to life.
“A huge amount of work went into the transformation of our disused waste facility, and the result has been a game-changer for the community so we’re thrilled to receive the award for Community Facility of the Year,” Mayor Carney said.
“The Gipps Street Recreation Precinct will be a community hub for generations to come and is something Penrith can be truly proud of.”
“Excitingly, this win means the precinct is now a finalist in the National Awards with the winner to be announced later this year.”
Meanwhile, Council’s One Community, Many Abilities initiative won the Community Development Award title at the 2025 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards.
Council’s campaign was recognised for outstanding efforts in creating inclusive and engaged communities through strategic community development in a population of more than 150,000.
It was developed in direct response to community feedback during the development of the Penrith Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022-26. It promoted the diversity and strengths of people with disability in Penrith by highlighting the stories of five residents, inspiring the broader community to help make Penrith more accessible.
Mayor Carney thanked the five Penrith City residents who shared their stories as part of this campaign to inspire the broader community to help make Penrith more accessible.
“The campaign is a testament to the inclusive spirit of Penrith,” he said.
“We are committed to making our City a place where everyone is celebrated and valued for their unique contributions.”
As lastly, Council’s 2023-24 Annual Report took home a Gold Award for Reporting Excellence in Local Government at the 2025 Australasian Reporting Awards.
Marking Council’s 10th consecutive Gold Award for excellence in reporting, this achievement reflects the organisation’s commitment to high quality reporting, said Mayor Carney.
“These awards demonstrate our commitment to delivering across all areas for our community, to ensure that Penrith continues to thrive and is a great place to live, work and visit,” he said.
Find out more about Gipps Street Recreation Precinct at: penrith.city/gippsstreet.
Find out more about One Community, Many Abilities at: penrith.city/manyabilities.
Read Council’s 2023-24 Annual Report.
