Council distributes $143,836 to 34 community projects
Community organisations, sporting clubs, environmental projects and capital works projects will benefit from this year’s Baw Baw Shire community development grants.
Council will distribute $143,836 to 34 nonprofit organisations and associations to support the purchase of equipment and deliver projects.
The community development grants include three categories – environment grants totalling $4493; equipment grants totalling $101,127; and minor capital grants totalling $38,614.
Mayor Danny Goss said the grants provided crucial support to local community members and groups so they could deliver projects that have a huge benefit for the community.
“All projects in the 2021/22 program are so diverse: from new outdoor furniture and new appliances to building refurbishments and landscaping,” he said.
Cr Michael Leaney said it was always a good news story to hand out money to community groups throughout the shire.
He said council was awarding 34 successful grants totalling $143,000.
“They each have one thing in common, their projects will provide a positive contribution to our communities across the shire.
Cr Leaney said there was still money available in the budget this year and he encouraged all community groups who are considering undertaking new projects, looking to upgrade equipment or do improvements to investigate this grant opportunity next year.
Cr Peter Kostos said he was pleased to see a lot of projects approved I the East Ward.
“The community put a lot of effort into looking after our infrastructure and they put in a lot of their own time,” he said.
The successful applicants included:
Environment
Buln Buln East Community Association $4493 for weed control at the former Buln Buln East school site.
Equipment
Aberfeldy and District Association Inc - $5000 for ground maintenance equipment;
Athlone Hall - $4646 for new chairs;
Drouin Men's Shed Inc - $5000 to replace the metal lathe and milling machine;
Gippsland Umpires Association Inc - $2895 for footballs and iPad equipment;
Hill End Community Incorporated - $5000 for a ground maintenance mower;
Hill End Junior Football Club - $4959 for long sleeve jumpers and footballs;
Jindivick Progress Association Inc - $3185 for community newsletter publishing equipment and a lawn mower;
Lardner Hall - $4379 for chair upgrades; Longwarry Cricket Club - $4961 for a new fridge and freezer;
Longwarry Recreation Reserve - $4491, indoor furniture replacement;
Mid Gippsland Badminton Association $1780 for the Flying Back to Badminton project;
Mid Gippsland Junior Badminton Association - $1130 for the Mid Gippsland children making birdies fly project;
Neerim Cemetery Trust - $744 for a brush cutter;
Neerim District Junior Basketball Club $3299 for canteen upgrades;
Neerim and District Soldiers Memorial Hospital - $4180 for outdoor furniture;
Warragul Scouts - $4932 for tents, hiking tents and trestle table replacement;
Trafalgar Bowls Club - $2795 for Know the Score: Scoreboards;
Walhalla Goldfields Railway - $3774 for office equipment;
Warragul and District Kennel and Obedience Club - $3247 for an Automated External Defibrillator (AED);
Warragul Business Group Inc - $5000, fencing for events and community activities;
Warragul Harness Racing Club Inc - $3319 for hi pressure washer cleaner and hand lawnmower;
Warragul Little Athletics Club - $3637 for high jump mat-scissor mat;
Warragul Municipal Band Inc - $4890, a Yamaha NEO custom Bb Cornet, snare drum harness and percussion accessories;
Warragul Playgroup - $5000 for revitalising the Warragul Playgroup with indoor and outdoor play equipment;
Warragul Youth Theatre - $2480 to go towards Warragul Youth Theatre workshop theatre masks;
West Gippsland Bush Walkers Inc - $1400 for active community and healthy environment; and,
Western Park Cricket Club - $5000 for cricket club improvements.
Minor Capital Works
Baw Baw Radiomodellers Association Gippsland - $10,000 for a club shelter;
Neerim District Bowling Club - $3189 for outdoor seating and tables;
Neerim Neerim South Football Netball Club - $3790 for cool room upgrade in Phoenix rooms;
Neerim South Recreation Reserve Committee of Management - $10,000 for timekeeper’s box, seats and stairs;
Rokeby Public Hall and Recreation Reserve $10,000 for day visitor facility landscaping; and,
Seaview Public Hall Reserve Committee $1635 for refurbishment of the toilet block.
An additional application from Springsure Hill Landcare, seeking $3648, also will be assessed.
Cr Leaney said there was an anomaly and confusion with the application and council was allowing it to be assessed as a possible late inclusion if approved.