Wind farm grants go to good causes

Visibility: The Golden Plains Wind Farm’s Community Benefit Funding scheme’s current round is open until Wednesday, 31 May, and was previously used for new signage for the Rokewood RSL Sub-Branch installed just before Anzac Day. Photo: SUPPLIED

WITH applications for the Golden Plains Wind Farm’s Community Benefit Funding scheme’s latest round open until the end of May, past recipients looked back on how the grant has helped them.

Through the previous round, members of the Rokewood RSL Sub-Branch received new signage for their Hardie Street hub after previously using it to secure floodlights to help signify the building.

The branch’s president Brian Dingley said the grant has given them more exposure.

“People used to drive past our building which is set 30, 40 metres from the main road,” he said.

“Our front sign was getting a bit dilapidated so between the lights on the building and the sign out front, people actually know it’s there.

“The solar-powered floodlights definitely gave us an ease of access, especially at night. The signage was about $750 laser cut from thin steel plate with the branch’s name on it.”

A wooden sign for the Rokewood branch’s entrance is also on its way courtesy of the grant, and is currently being created by members of the Rokewood Men’s Shed.

With $215,000 set aside annually for the Community Benefit Fund, it’s expected more than $6.5 million will go towards the community throughout the wind farm project’s lifespan.

Community groups or projects located within a 10-kilometre radius of the wind farm’s Rokewood location are eligible for the grant’s $20,000 pool.

Staff at the Rokewood Kindergarten used the grant to get outdoor blinds and equipment for their home corner play space.

Education leader, supervisor and teacher Megan Young said she’d recommend applying to any group in the community.

“I’d definitely recommend,” she said. “The wind farm’s been amazing supporters of the kindergarten and I’m sure it’d be the same for any in the community looking for support.

“We now have a beautiful outdoor room that can be used in any weather and the home corner equipment has given the children more things to play with.

“The home corner equipment would have been between $1500 and a few thousand, and the blinds were $15,000 overall. We applied in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.”

Submissions are open until Wednesday, 31 May and to apply visit the Golden Plains Wind Farm website.