2022 council projects announced for community grants

THE year 2022 will be filled with 40 new projects and upgrades sharing in more than $3.1 million through the City of Greater Geelong’s 2021/22 Community Grants programs.

This year’s projects comprise 34 Community Infrastructure Grants and five Geelong Heritage Grants totalling more than $3 million.

Several sports clubs will be the beneficiaries, including Geelong Eastern Park Bowls Club, will receive grants between $340,000 and $350,000 to deliver significant facility upgrades for club members and the wider community.

Joining in on receiving funds include other sporting clubs across the region such as Bellarine Bears Baseball Club, North Geelong Cricket Club, Newtown City Hockey Club and Manifold Heights Cricket Club.

The Bellarine Bears Baseball Club will receive $350,000 through the Community Infrastructure Grants towards the development of fields, fencing, dugouts, scorers’ box, and lighting at Wallington Recreation Reserve.

Councillor Anthony Aitken, chair of the council’s Finance portfolio, said there were greater funding opportunities this year once changes to the grant criteria were made and council was delighted to be able to endorse grants for projects spanning from Geelong’s north in Lara as far east along the Bellarine to Portarlington.

“These grants are fantastic recognition for the hard-working volunteers who keep our community sporting clubs running,” Cr Aitken said.

“This crucial assistance will help our community sporting clubs to provide the modern facilities they need to keep attracting and retaining members.

“The reaction of members at Eastern Park Bowls Club when we visited to celebrate the news showed just how much this kind of funding means to clubs such as theirs.”

Geelong’s Lazarus Community Centre, which has supported about 400 people experiencing homelessness and disadvantage over the past 12 months, is also a recipient of a $350,000 Community Infrastructure Grant to upgrade its facilities like its kitchen, bathroom, and dining rooms.

Five restoration projects across Geelong, Fyansford, Portarlington and Lara will share in almost $100,000 under the 2021-22 Geelong Heritage Grants.

The five projects include the water race and turbine restoration at the Old Fyansford Paper Mill, Matthew Finders Girls Secondary Colleges facade restoration and three property restorations in Portarlington, Lara and Geelong.

This will replace the former Central Geelong Heritage Grants in 2022 to open the funding stream to applications across the municipality.
For more information about city grants and the full list of successful 2021-22 Community Grant applicants visit https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/grants/default.aspx.