By Helen Tatchell<\/p>\n
With only one week left of his political career, Geoff Howard has made a significant \u2018last hurrah\u2019 announcement for Moorabool, as he exits from his State Member for Ballarat East\/Buninyong seat after 19-years with the Labor party.
\nThe Andrews Government will invest $800,000 from its Community Sports Infrastructure Fund to build a new pavilion at the Bacchus Marsh Regional Community Sports Hub at the Racecourse and Recreation Reserve.
\nThe new pavilion will feature four female friendly change rooms for athletes and umpires, storage space, community space and a covered spectator area.
\nMr Howard said all change facilities and public amenities will be fully accessible.
\n\u201cThis pavilion will provide more opportunities, so people can get active and play the sport they love.
\n\u201cThe redevelopment of Bacchus Marsh Racecourse Reserve will deliver a world-class sports centre that everybody in this community can enjoy.\u201d
\nBut wait, there\u2019s more!
\nA further $250,000 will also be invested by the government from the World Game Facilities Fund to deliver 100 lux competition standard lighting to two new soccer pitches at the reserve.
\n\u201cMoorabool Council also applied to the new Community Sports Infrastructure Loans scheme, that allows councils to get underway with recreational projects, with the Treasurer Mr Tim Pallas approving up to $7 million,\u201d Mr Howard said.
\n\u201cThis is available over the next two years as council needs to draw down on that funding, so we can see in the next two years this project really humming along, with the BMX track, the soccer fields and other facilities in place as they need to be.
\n\u201cThis funding allows the shire to get on and complete this project or the next stage over the coming year,\u201d Mr Howard told the large crowd of user groups at the announcement.
\nMayor of Moorabool Shire Paul Tatchell said this will be the single largest investment of recreational facilities in Bacchus Marsh since well before amalgamation, with a total project cost of close to $20 million.
\n\u201cAnyone that can borrow money at 1.75 per cent realises that you are actually making money on that. It brings projects forward. Even just by CPI we are a mile in front by doing it today,\u201d he said.
\nCr Tatchell said the Loans scheme was magnificent and smart.
\n\u201cI congratulate the government on a sensible scheme that is based on the business case put forward by our Council.
\n\u201cIt does away with all that talk of \u2018safe seats\u2019; basically, it means shires can keep their books in order and borrow money at half the treasury rate. Credit must go to Moorabool\u2019s finance team, officers and general managers who make sure these things happen, because without that work we would never be able to borrow that money.\u201d
\nCr Tatchell also acknowledged the great work by the user groups at the reserve.
\n\u201cWithout that great volunteerism and the passion from these groups we would never be in a position to put these plans in place,\u201d he said.
\nMr Howard confirmed the $800,000 and the $250,000 will be up-front, is not part of the loan scheme and definitely not an election commitment.
\n\u201cThese are grants, committed money to the Moorabool Shire to get on with the project,\u201d he said.
\nThis support comes on top of $200,000 previously allocated by the Andrews Government toward a new BMX circuit, cricket pitch and two soccer ovals.
\nUser groups of the reserve include, but not limited to:
\nThe Bacchus Marsh Harness racing club, Soccer club, BMX and Pony club. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Helen Tatchell With only one week left of his political career, Geoff Howard has made a significant \u2018last hurrah\u2019 announcement for Moorabool, as he exits from his State Member for Ballarat East\/Buninyong seat after 19-years with the Labor party. The Andrews Government will invest $800,000 from its Community Sports Infrastructure Fund to build a […]<\/p>\n