The Bega Rec Ground's changerooms and grandstand may be bricks and mortar, but it's the sweat, tears, blood and cheers that have soaked into its pores that make it such a treasured space.

On Tuesday evening, March 12, as the Bega Roosters players ran their training drills on the field, members of the Old Boys reminisced about their playing days, and the sportsground's facilities through the years.

Peter Ison started with the Roosters in the under 18s around 1968-69 and played through until 1972-73 he said.

"Before all this was developed the old cattle yards used to be here and you had to put with the smell all day," he recalled with a chuckle.

"The dressing sheds up the back, with a big log fire in there of a night - spend more time around the log fire getting a rub down instead of going out to train!

"And there was only one training light to play under - you could run around and hide in the dark and old Arkin couldn't find you - there are a few good old memories there.

"I made a lot of terrific mates, a lot have left us now. But a lot of good memories that will never fade."

Peter said before the existing grandstand was built there was mostly just a lot of standing room and cars around the sidelines to watch games.

"And the cattle yards, if they brought in cattle on a Sunday it was a real good place to sit and watch the football.

"Barbecues were run out of where the dressing sheds were and there was a small kiosk and that was basically it. Not much at all."

The current changerooms and clubhouse above them were all volunteer-built with plenty of community support and donations.

Parrot Lucas was the main coordinator of the efforts to build the grandstand - it's named in his honour.

"It cost $70,000 to build," he said, pointing to a row of business signs lining the stand's roof.

"Each of them put in $500 each, donating building supplies and labour.

"The pubs donated the beer, butchers donated the meat - we had a few good nights here [putting it all together]."

Peter said the existing facilities "are good compared to to what we did have - just a tin shed with one shower that everyone used to get in".

"She was real cold," another of the Old Boys chimed in.

Tuesday's gathering was the end of an era given the imminent redevelopment of the changerooms and clubhouse, soon to be demolished as part of the long-awaited precinct masterplan.

Bega Rugby League Football Club president Phil Dummett said contracts were scheduled to be exchanged on Monday, March 18, and the club had been making arrangements to clear out equipment and plan for a season without games on their home turf.

However, in a council announcement Wednesday morning, March 13, a further delay was flagged due to "a bureaucratic process" relating to a funding variation sitting with the state government.

Council CEO Anthony McMahon said, given the setback and delays to the project's start, state government funds previously allocated to its 2023/24 budget will need to be moved into the 2024/25 budget, and funds previously allocated to the 2024/25 budget into 2025/26.

However, the amounts stay the same.

"There have been unforeseen planning setbacks we have had to deal with, but we can't wait to get started with this highly important community project," Mr McMahon said.

"With the planning issues now out of the way, we are awaiting the confirmation of the funding variation.

"We are confident the funding will be approved, but we obviously need confirmation before we can proceed with signing a contract. The head contractor for the project has been extremely accommodating.

"We have had positive conversations with the Minister for Sport and we await confirmation of the funding variation from the NSW Treasurer in the coming weeks."

Mr McMahon said council wasn't expecting these state government delays to cause any further extensions to "the back end" of the project's expected completion date.

"We will let the community know as soon as we hear from the NSW Treasurer, hopefully in the the next two or three weeks".