Tate Papworth
Brimbank has secured over $7.4 million for sports and recreation facilities
Mayor Georgina Papafotiou welcomed the funding which is the result of a number of advocacy outcomes secured over recent months, which will help create jobs and support COVID-19 recovery efforts.
She said the state government had committed $4 million towards the redevelopment of More Park in Ardeer, which will support more women and girls to get fit, healthy and active.
More Park is currently used by the Sunshine Softball Association.
The upgrade will also enable a future winter sport tenant to be located at the site which will deliver significant sports participation opportunities for the local community and help address the high demand for new sports facilities in Brimbank.
The More Park project alone will create 84 direct jobs and 55 indirect jobs and help support local economic activity, businesses and workers. The project is set to start in August 2020 and is due for completion by December 2021.
Other major wins include; $2 million in state funding for the St Albans Health and Wellbeing Hub; $625,000 in state funding for the Errington Reserve sportsground reconstruction and Delahey Sport Pavilion redevelopment; $500,000 in state funding for new female friendly change rooms at Keilor Park Reserve; and $320,000 in federal funding for a ‘Change Makers’ Sport Initiative for newly arrived migrant and multicultural communities.
“These are all significant financial commitments by the government that will help support local economic activity in the short term, while also helping lift sport and recreation outcomes as we begin the COVID-19 recovery phase,’ Cr Papafotiou said.
“I would like to acknowledge the support of the state Minister for Community Sport, Ros Spence, and advocacy from all of our local Parliamentarians, including particularly Natalie Suleyman, Natalie Hutchins, Ben Carroll and Daniel Mulino, who helped us secure these respective outcomes.
“Brimbank will continue advocating for further investment for local sport and recreation as part of our new 19-Point Plan for COVID Recovery, in the lead up to the state and federal budgets in October 2020.”
