Players are expected back on the ground by the start of next year after works began in 2020, which included improved lighting for night fixtures, new perimeter fencing, additional bleacher seating to increase the seated capacity from 400 to 790 and fresh turf laid on top of a new sub-soil irrigation and drainage system.

The field size has been expanded to achieve the minimum standard for first grade AFL and elite cricket, seven new wickets have been constructed and new player dug out benches and screens are set to be installed.

The next stage of the project involves upgrading amenities, which is currently in the planning phase, and finishing improvements to No 4 and 5 sportsgrounds.

Newcastle District Cricket Association chairman Paul Marjoribanks said as well as allowing for night matches in the local district, he hoped the improved ground could attract elite cricket back to the city.

He said for the past 10 to 15 years, the field had mainly been used for local competitions, but prior to that it was the "main venue out of Sydney Cricket NSW used to host matches".

"We've now been leapfrogged by Coffs Harbour, Canberra, Illawarra and Albury, so we're quite a way down pecking order," he said.

"The next stage is amenities off the field - changerooms and the media area. Once they're in place the venue will put its hand up to host higher level cricket ... Big Bash male and female, state cricket and ideally down the track international matches.

"The best thing for growing local cricket is for kids to see their heroes playing in the flesh, so if we can attract high profile players back to this ground, that will really increase cricket participation."

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AFL Hunter/Central Coast community & competition manager Matt Harris said the upgrade could lead to similar things for his sport.

Up until now No. 1 had been used as the home ground for Newcastle City in the Hunter/Central Coast AFL competition as well as for grand finals.

"Now the Swans have a women's team, we would like to host an AFLW match," he said

"In the women's competition the growth has been enormous and it continues to grow year on year.

"One of the big challenges has always been facilities, so this is where these upgrades help even for local grand finals, to have them at a great venue on a great surface helps."

Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the upgrades were being completed in the run-up to the ground's 100^th anniversary in September next year and would benefit both local players and spectators.

"We have seen huge participation rates in women's AFL and we have a strong historic cricket competition," she said. "So this is a wonderful investment for our local clubs and teams.

"It's a very good multi-use playing facility. I've seen this ground packed to the rafters for local rugby league grand finals and we've also had concerts here."

Cr Nelmes said City of Newcastle funded the project through its parks and recreation budget and $1 million also came from insurance when the Life Without Barriers site was fire damaged.

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