Mrs Sharpe, who had her 81^st birthday this week and keeps a busy diary, lost her beloved Carl four years ago, and it has left a hole that will never be filled.

Nonetheless, she was heartened to see the cricket centre and hear to the tributes.

Politicians, who considered Mr Sharpe a friend, praised his contribution to sport and reminisced about the times they shared.

Mrs Sharpe was accompanied by members of her family.

Asked how she was feeling following the ribbon cutting ceremony, Mrs Sharpe showed the Central Western Daily her hands.

They were trembling.

She has lived in Orange her whole life, the last 60 years at a property not too far from the Carl Sharpe Cricket Centre.

"Carl would've loved this," she said, looking around the main part of the centre, which houses the four indoor nets.

"It would've meant he didn't have to go up to Kinross Wolaroi."

The centre is expected to become operational in the coming weeks when staff move in and the first cricket coaching classes begin.

Orange City Council awarded the construction tender to Bathurst-based Hines Constructions, the same company that built the Anzac Park indoor sports centre.

The $2.8 million construction tender was the largest single component of the overall project.

The project, built on the eastern side of Wade Park alongside the grandstand, is funded by $1.4 million in grants ($1 million from the NSW government, $200,000 from Cricket Australia, $200,000 from Cricket NSW), $1.6 million from Orange City Council and $449,000 in developer contributions.

"This project has been in the pipeline for a number of years and it's fantastic to see work now completed," mayor Reg Kidd said.

"This building is going to make a big contribution to local sport."

"As well as giving sportspeople an indoor training venue, the new building will include a new refreshments kiosk, which will give volunteers a clear view of the sports field, replacing the current kiosk in the basement of the grandstand."

MLC Sam Farraway said the "facility will not only be a game changer for local aspiring cricket stars, it will also provide staff, volunteers, parents and general spectators with a better all-round experience".

"We know that Orange and the Central West produces great athletes across many sporting codes," he added.

"Maybe the next Steve Waugh, Glenn McGrath or Ellyse Perry will begin their cricketing career right here at this facility."