ROADS at Stawell and St Arnaud's largest sporting complexes will be upgraded in the next 12 months, following a council meeting on Monday.
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Northern Grampians Shire councillors agreed to adopt a recommendation from staff on how new federal government funding should be spent.
The council was allocated $1,857,984 under the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program. As part of this, all upgrades paid for with this money must be physically completed by June 30 2021. Eligible local road projects are projects that involve the construction or maintenance of roads managed by local governments.
Mayor Murray Emerson said among the projects the council will fund with this are road upgrades around North Park's netball courts, roadworks at Lord Nelson Park in St Arnaud, and perimeter fencing and hard surface surrounds at Stawell Park Precinct.
"The upgrade to infrastructure and roads will guarantee better flow of traffic throughout the complexes, and that is being done in Stawell and St Arnaud," he said.
"At Lord Nelson there will be upgrades to infrastructure inside the park, and there and North Park there will be work to improve the roads at the entrances to the sporting complexes."
"The North Park netball courts have been allocated some money from the government and the council, but this is money (also) allocated by the government though the pandemic to create jobs."
Stawell Park Precinct covers Central Park, home of the Stawell Gift, Cato Park and parkland north of Maud Street.
Cr Emerson said St Arnaud Sporting Club was one of several organisations that had applied to the council for rate relief on their public buildings.
Stawell Swifts vice-president Steve Hoffman said the road upgrades would be "handy to all participants in the area".
"The North Park area plays host to games around the year, whether it's the disability football and netball, they have cricket, footy and school sports, so new roads will facilitate all those participants within the fixture."
The Swifts had been training, though the Horsham District Football and Netball League seasons have been cancelled due to COVID-19, to stay social and for strong mental health.
With training now cancelled again due to stage three restrictions coming back to regional Victoria as of Wednesday night, Mr Hoffman said the club would keep communicating with players over the next three weeks.
"There is excitement about being able to play, get changed and have functions in a brand new facility in 2021," he said.
In the council's draft 2020-21 Budget, which could be adopted on Monday, $2.6 million is allocated to redevelop North Park's clubrooms, and a further $1.6 million to redevelop Lord Nelson. North Park's clubrooms are expected to be finished by the end of 2020.
Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
