$3.1-million Ararat development

Ararat Rural City Council leaders are calling on the government to help fund a $3.1-million project to redevelop a city reserve into an Aflw-dedicated ground.

Council chief executive Tim Harrison said new female-friendly amenities, two football fields and a social room were among key aspects of a planned Gordon Street Recreation Reserve project.

Dr Harrison said the council had applied for two grants to fund the project – $2.65-million from the State Government’s Community Sport Infrastructure Stimulus Program and $300,000 from the Federal Government’s Local Road and Community Infrastructure Program.

The council has committed $150,000 to the project.

“We’re really hoping we get the funding, because it would be a game-changer for the Gordon Street rec reserve,” Dr Harrison said.

“Anyone who knows the reserve knows it’s a desolate space at the moment.

“It’s got a footy oval there and we play a bit of cricket there, but we’re wanting to redevelop that as an Aflw-dedicated location.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity to really improve that site, get some rectangular sporting facilities there like soccer, rugby, hockey and also the AFLW with proper facilities for both.

“We will have two sets of change rooms.”

Dr Harrison said the project would provide Ararat district community with another premier sporting ground to complement the Alexandra Oval precinct.

Gordon Street Recreation Reserve, on the eastern side of Ararat, features an oval, a field previously used for hockey and an ageing change and social room.

The council bought the reserve, home to Chalambar and St Andrews cricket clubs, from the Department of Education in 2017 to accommodate growth in both men’s and women’s football in the region and to provide a centre for Little Athletics.

The redevelopment of the reserve will include: • Creating two large football-soccer fields. • Building female-friendly change facilities. • Building a new change space and social room for cricket, football and soccer. • Providing a new cricket oval including a turf wicket.

• Creating a multi-use space for Little Athletics.

Dr Harrison said the Gordon Street redevelopment project would provide a range of community, sporting, social and economic benefits, which would support Ararat’s growth while sustaining communities and attracting new residents.

“It will be fantastic to have extra facilities for football, soccer and cricket, and provide newer facilities for other clubs such as little athletics,” he said.

“The project will stimulate the construction industry, providing jobs for locals and boosting lifestyle attraction.”