Funding commitment for two local events
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Local events and event spaces are the focus of a new bout of election funding commitments with the Liberals and The Nationals promising Lardner Park and Warragul SnowFest funding.
Shadow events industry minister David Southwick recently visited Lardner Park with Liberals candidate for Narracan Wayne Farnham and Nationals candidate Shaun Gilchrist.
If elected, the Liberals/Nationals “event package” would provide $500,000 to Lardner Park over four years and $380,000 for SnowFest Warragul.
Part of the funding for Lardner Park will go toward developing a strategic plan and master plan for the site, and also will go toward site improvements, such as upgrading old outdoor toilet blocks and undercover pavilions.
Mr Farnham said the announcement would encourage Farm World’s growth and attract more events like it.
“This investment that we’re making to Lardner Park today is going to benefit our local economy, and not just Warragul - the wider Gippsland area,” he said.
“It’s such a big investment for this facility and a big investment for regional Victoria.”
Lardner Park chief executive officer Craig Debnam said the
funding would allow for upgraded amenities, including an outdoor toilet block that was built in the 1970s.
Mr Debnam said there were plans to demolish the existing block and build a new one, increasing the block’s capacity and amenity.
“One of the key responsibilities we have is to make sure we maintain and improve the infrastructure,” he said,
Mr Debnam said there were a number of new events coming to Lardner Park in 2023, with talks
about ongoing events in 2024 and 2025.
“We have a new pavilion that we are talking about, we are talking about wedding reception spaces and all sorts of things,” he said.
There are plans to engage local builders and businesses in the facility upgrade,
“It’ll be one of the clear focuses of anything we do at Lardner Park, whether it is construction or involving local supply - it’s all about local as far as we are concerned,” Mr Debnam said. SnowFest founder John Mai celebrated the $380,000 funding announcement for the popular community snowthemed event as well.
He said there are plans to use the funding to support additions to SnowFest in future years, such as an ice-skating rink.
“This funding, if it comes, is going to be massive... we can focus on making the event happening a lot better, better planning and cater for a bigger crowd,” Mr Mai said.
This year, about 15,000 people attended SnowFest - the biggest turnout the festival ever had.
According to Mr Mai, an ice skating rink has been on the SnowFest committee’s wish list for some time. However, the volunteer group was unable to raise enough sponsorship and funding to execute it.
Mr Mai said this year the committee’s funds went to other more important elements of SnowFest like insurance costs.
The funding would also go toward recruiting staff, children’s events and other snow-related activities.