The $750,000 upgrade, funded by the federal government and the City of Ballarat, complements the new pavilion, soccer changing rooms and lighting towers installed over the last few years.

Management committee chair Damian Ryan said about 1400 people use the facilities across several sports, and the new changing rooms, for umpires, junior and masters footballers, and netball players, were desperately needed.

READ MORE: State-of-art lights to brighten up sports facility

"A third of the people who use this facility are female, which is probably better than the average," he said.

"One of the goals for us is a 50-50 split, wouldn't that be great."

Russell Square was first designated as a recreation reserve in the years after the Eureka Rebellion, Mr Ryan added, and he was looking forward to its next chapter.

"When you build a facility, you have to say, what will happen here in the next 20 years?" he said.

"If you've got the facilities here, the opportunities can eventuate."

City of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney said in a statement "(w)e know that a lack of proper facilities can be a major setback for people taking those first steps to living more active and healthy lives".

IN THE NEWS

"We are doing what we can to ensure the people of Ballarat have the necessary amenities they need to take those steps."

Also present was Senator Sarah Henderson - the federal government committed $500,000 from its Community Sport Infrastructure program.

"Our sporting groups and the volunteers that dedicate their time to keeping clubs running all deserve equal access to the best sporting facilities in the state and that's just what we are delivering right here in Brown Hill," she said in a statement.

Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.