ANOTHER six sporting and community groups will benefit from Mount Gambier City Council’s community development fund, which has now delivered over $250,000 towards grassroots projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new sound system at Mount Gambier City Band Hall and an extra netball court at South Gambier Netball Club are among the new community projects endorsed by elected members at a special council meeting on Tuesday night.
Councillors approved six of the seven funding submissions tabled at the meeting, taking the overall tally to 30 sporting or community groups supported at a cost of $251,432 since the fund was launched in May.
An allocation of $200,000 was originally endorsed by the council to give groups quick access to funding to complete repairs, renovations or improvements while their facilities remained idle during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the latest successful applications have exceeded the initial fund by $51,432, Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin said adjustments would be made to use money set aside for other COVID-19 support measures.
“We did have some further projects to assist in the recovery stage of COVID-19, however we may not need to expend what we had foreshadowed as a result of Federal and State Government commitments,” Ms Martin said.
“We are confident this extra allocation of money fits within the budget and will further stimulate the local economy.”
While applications for the fund officially closed at Tuesday night’s meeting, Ms Martin said several other applications received before the meeting would be considered at the full council meeting later this month.
“It has just been such a great initiative because we have been able to assist community and sporting groups to achieve projects they never would have been able to complete,” she said.
“These groups play such an important role in our community and it is great that council have been able to continue to work in partnership with them.”
Mount Gambier City Band Hall steward Jennie Matthews was over the moon when told yesterday morning the group’s application was successful.
“We did not really think it was a possibility, even though we felt we fitted the criteria for the fund, because we have been working on the hall throughout the isolation period,” Ms Matthews said.
“It would have been absolutely impossible to for us to do this work without that funding, so I was just so astonished when I found out – I am very thankful how supportive council are of the hall.”
The group raised $5000 to complete other renovations on the hall, but Ms Matthews said the new funding would be used to install new audio-visual equipment, a crucial element to improving the facility’s hire-ability.
“We actually stripped the old sound system when we started renovating and it was suggested that we needed this equipment and projector to increase the variety of things that could happen in this hall,” she said.
“We have to find funds from somewhere for this building to exist, so it is amazing to receive a grant like this to make these projects a reality.”
Hailing the community development fund a huge success, Ms Martin said it was fulfilling to hear it had been well-received by the community groups.
“We have had some amazing feedback and the organisations are just so grateful for the support received from this great initiative,” she said.
“It has just been one of the many successful parts of our COVID-19 Our City, Our Response.”
From the latest applications, the South Gambier Cricket Club was the only project not to be endorsed as council awaits the pending preparation of a masterplan for the Blue Lake Sports Park and consideration of tenure arrangements.
MAJOR WORKS FUNDED BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND
• $20,000 to install a solar system at the Lower South East Hockey Association
• $20,000 for construction of a third netball court at the South Gambier Netball Club
• $20,000 for building fire safety upgrades at Basketball Mount Gambier
• $17,860 for installation of a new ceiling and cupboards at Mount Gambier History Group
• $20,000 for removal and replacement of asbestos flooring and replacement of a door at the Senior Citizens Club
• $15,000 for projection and sound system upgrades at Mount Gambier City Band Hall
• $20,000 for a new shade at the Centrals Baseball Club
• $20,000 for the redevelopment of new courts at the Mount Gambier Netball Association
• $19,805 to extend the Blue Lake Golf Club driving range
• $7500.91 for a new concrete path and improved sound system at the Mount Gambier Motorcycle Club
• $20,000 for the South Gambier Football Club to install unisex changerooms
• $8854.50 for the driveway at Lifeline South East
• Council has also approved several minor funding requests, which did not exceed $5000
