Library grant snubbed

By Lachlan Ellis

A grant application for part of a new Moorabool library has been rejected, with concerns the project will be delayed or be built without all the planned features.

Moorabool Shire Council applied for $851,000 under the Federal Government’s Growing Regions Program for a civic plaza at the planned Ballan Library and Community Precinct, but was disappointed to hear that application had been rejected.

Moorabool Shire Mayor Cr Munari said the disappointing news put the plaza component of the project “in jeopardy”.

“The civic plaza is a place for the community to gather and a connection point to the other components of the precinct – the library, Maternal and Child Health Centre, exhibition spaces and community rooms,” she said.

“If you look across the shire, we have attracted a lot of State Government funding for our projects and we continue to struggle to secure Federal Government for our major projects.”

The State Government has contributed $5 million through two different funding streams for the Ballan Library and Community Hub project, which was recently tendered.

Cr Munari said that to continue delivering on much-needed infrastructure in Moorabool, Council “needs both levels of government to contribute, to allow us to meet the needs of our current and future communities”.

A Council spokesperson said Council would continue seeking opportunities to obtain the required funding.

“At this point, there are no grant programs that align at the federal level, and the Victorian Government has already committed significant funds to the project.” the Council spokesperson added.

Federal Member for Hawke, Sam Rae, said the need for funding from the Federal Government was new information to him, when the failed grant application was raised.

“I strongly support the Ballan Library project. The project was fully funded thanks to a $5 million contribution from the Victorian Labor Government,” he told the Moorabool News.

“The need for further funding has never been raised with me and I’m disappointed that Moorabool Shire Council appears to have dropped the ball on another project.”