Major upgrade for Drouin’s Civic Park

Grants totalling more than $1 million from the Latrobe Valley Authority and Drouin and District Community Bendigo Bank towards a major upgrade of Drouin’s Civic Park were formally announced on Thursday.

The LVA is contributing $765,000 and the bank $250,000 with Baw Baw Shire council to provide the balance for the estimated $1.5 million project.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said the grant was one of 13 in the final round of the LVA’s community and facility fund that has allocated more than $20 million to 180 groups across the region.

She said the fund was now fully subscribed but pointed out organisations could still access grants through a number of other LVA programs.

Baw Baw shire mayor Danny Goss said the upgrade to Civic Park could not have been done without the external funding.

The improvements include a new playground and equipment, a fitness park, new footpaths and boardwalks, upgraded toilets, water play area, hill slide, climbing wall, flying fox, barbecue and shelter and landscaping.

It is already a good park and the project would breathe new life, Cr Goss said.

Drouin is growing quickly and facilities such as those to be provided at Civic Park were what was needed by people moving to the town, he added.

Drouin and District Community Bendigo Bank chairman Rod Dunlop said the bank’s $250,000 contribution was ear-marked specifically for the new playground and equipment.

He said the partnership with the council and LVA was mutually beneficial and the grant for the playground has taken the bank’s community contributions beyond $6 million since it was established.

Tenders for the project are expected to be called in the new year with work expected to start mid-year and be completed on 2021.

The round of LVA grants announced by Ms Shing also included $208,000 for the Drouin bowling club as well as funds for projects at Boisdale, Boolarra, Traralgon, Loch Sport, Maffra, Moe and Newborough.