Snowfest skating rink submission

The Warragul Business Group want to establish an ice skating rink in Warragul for two weeks as a major feature of its annual Snowfest event.

In a budget submission to Baw Baw Shire Council, WBG president Teresa Mitchell called on council to allocate funds from the business and commercial rates revenue to support the business group's future endeavours.

She said the fund also could assist the group in staging major events such as Snowfest.

Snowfest began in 2016 and was based on the concept of bringing truckloads of real snow from Mt Baw Baw into the heart of Warragul's central business district.

But Ms Mitchell told council the WBG wanted to expand the event to a nine day event featuring a skating rink and ice slide.

She said the ice skating rink could be located on public land on the corner of Albert St and Civic Place.

Ms Mitchell said it was proposed the ice skating rink would operate over two weekends following the Snowfest launch on the Friday night.

She said it also would be offered to schools as a sporting activity during school hours.

"This would be an exciting new event never before offered in the Gippsland area that gives our young people the opportunity to experience a sport activity that competes at an Olympic level," she said.

Ms Mitchell said it was estimated the ice skating rink would cost $100,000. Cost recovery would be through sponsorship and ticket fees.

The budget submission also requested council assist the business group in providing two interns to work in accounting and marketing/ communications.

She said the group was made up of volunteers who all had their own businesses to run.

Ms Mitchell said the accounting intern could assist the group's treasurer in relation to finance applications including data entry, invoicing and member database.

Council considered budget submissions at a special meeting last month. The draft budget, with any amendments from the submissions, will be presented to council for adoption on June 22.