The Hills Shire Council has officially named the grandstand at Kellyville Memorial Park Community Centre the Jack Iori Grandstand, recognising the enormous impact Jack Iori OAM has had on rugby league and the development of community sport across the Hills District.
For more than 60 years, Mr Iori has been one of the region’s most dedicated supporters of junior sport, local clubs and grassroots rugby league. His long-standing commitment to the Parramatta Eels, stretching back to the late 1960s, has seen him contribute financially, personally and passionately to the growth of the game at every level.
Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Michelle Byrne, said the naming was a fitting tribute to an individual who has shaped the fabric of the district.
“Jack has spent a lifetime lifting others up. His generosity has strengthened our sporting clubs, supported local families, and given countless young people the chance to participate and thrive,” Mayor Byrne said.
“Naming the grandstand in his honour recognises a legacy built over more than 60 years of service, passion, and genuine community spirit.
“The Jack Iori Grandstand celebrates a lifetime of dedication to rugby league and the community it brings together.”
Parramatta Eels Chief Executive Officer Jim Sarantinos said the naming of the grandstand was a deserved recognition to a lifelong Eels supporter and a highly respected leader within the Hills District community.
“Jack Iori’s contribution to the Parramatta Eels, the game of rugby league, and the wider Hills community is truly extraordinary and spans more than five decades,” Mr Sarantinos said.
“Since 1975, Jack has been a passionate supporter and generous contributor to junior rugby league, while also providing unwavering support to our Club and our players across multiple generations. Beyond the game, his commitment to community has been equally profound, with significant support extended to schools, churches, hospitals, grassroots sport and a wide range of community organisations throughout the Hills District and Western Sydney.
“Jack’s warmth, generosity and passion have left a lasting impact on so many. Many of us, past and present, at the Parramatta Eels feel proud and privileged to call Jack a friend. Honouring Jack in this way is a deserved recognition of a lifetime dedicated to giving back and caring for others, and it ensures a permanent legacy for Jack with our Club and the Hills community.”
A steadfast supporter of the Parramatta Eels, Mr Iori sponsored end-of-season awards in the Club’s early years, supplied eggs to players from his Rouse Hill farm, and remained closely connected with Eels legends including Peter Sterling, Steve Ella and Peter Wynn.
The Iori family is also a major contributor to the Parramatta Eels Foundation, directly supporting grassroots development, participation programs and community sport across the Hills and Western Sydney.
The renaming is especially significant given the Kellyville Memorial Park Community Centre’s location alongside the Parramatta Eels Centre of Excellence. The facility’s 1,500-seat grandstand hosts weekend sport for local families and serves as a key delivery site for the very programs supported by the Iori family.
Mayor Byrne said the grandstand was the ideal place to honour Mr Iori’s lifetime of impact.
“Jack’s influence can be seen across our schools, our clubs, our charities, and our sporting fields,” she said.
“Naming the grandstand in his honour ensures the story of Mr Iori’s commitment to local sport, the Parramatta Eels and The Hills District lives on.”
