By Cindy Ngo

17 November 2015 - Canterbury-Bankstown Express

A COMMUNITY group has called on Canterbury Council to be more proactive in promoting sporting opportunities at Belmore Sports Ground.

Plans for the Sydney Multicultural Arts and Sports Precinct at the sports ground are yet to progress.

The project would include two new grandstands, performance and visual arts spaces and walkway access to nearby railway stations.

A request for $4 million from the State Government by the project partners was met with a request for a more detailed business case.

Bulldogs chief executive Raelene Castle said the project's partners were in discussions with arts advisers recommended by the government, but "nothing significant" had happened to move the project along.

Canterbury Council general manager Jim Montague said the council had "done what we believe is necessary" to present a business case for the project.

Mr Montague said the council had provided "backup support".

As one of the project partners, the council has committed $1.5 million, while the Bulldogs and Sydney Olympic FC have each committed $1 million. The Federal Government also pledged $4 million to the project.

Mr Montague said some concept plans had been created, but there was "a long way to go".

"We need to get the funding commitment to get it off the ground," he said.

A spokesman for community group Back To Belmore called for more leadership from Canterbury Council on the project as it owned Belmore Sports Ground.

He said the council's efforts had been "lackadaisical" so far and the organisation remained hopeful the sports ground would cater for the wider community's needs, despite campaigning for 10 years for the project.