By Ewen McRae
Local MP Catherine King has called on the federal government to fund upgrades on sporting facilities around Bacchus Marsh in this week’s budget.
Ms King, the federal member for Ballarat, visited the Bacchus Marsh Racecourse and Recreation Reserve last week to see progress on construction of stage one of the facilities upgrades there, but joined with shire staff in lamenting the lack of federal funding for the next stage.
Stage one includes construction of an oval and BMX track. An application for federal funding for more soccer and cricket grounds, lighting and a sports pavilion was knocked back recently.
“These big infrastructure projects, particularly in a council like Moorabool that is desperately squeezed for active recreation space, are vital to keep clubs going,” Ms King said. “I would have expected that this project, given the number of times it has come up, would have been one of the priority projects.
“When you see the projects that have been funded, and the amount of money spent in largely Liberal seats that they want to hold at the upcoming election it’s pretty frustrating.
“There are kids in this area that have just as much right to play on great sporting facilities.”
Moorabool shire chief executive Derek Madden said it was frustrating to be knocked back.
“Council has invested significantly in this area, but this is the second time that council has been rejected federally,” he said. “We initially applied for $5 million, and this most recent application was for $2.8 million.
“With the growth that is happening in the shire this is going to be the pre-eminent sporting facility in the area, but we need some support to make it happen.”
Ms King stopped short of guaranteeing a Labor government would fund the project if elected at the upcoming election.
“If the Liberal government fails to fund it I will continue to advocate for more funding for this important project,” she said. “I have already made representations to Don Farrell, Labor’s shadow minister for sport, regarding this project, and I will continue to do so.”
