Green light for Laharum project

The State Government has tipped $100,000 into the first stage of a major facilities upgrade at Laharum’s Cameron Oval.

The financial commitment is a rubber stamp for the change-rooms project, representing part of an overall redevelopment plan for the precinct.

Confirmation of government money opens the door for Horsham Rural City Council to release a $400,000 allocation for the $650,000 first stage.

Laharum community fundraising efforts will make up the $150,000 balance.

The announcement means netballers, footballers, cricketers and other community users such as firefighters will have access to modern changerooms.

The State Government, in announcing the trigger funding, emphasised the need for better facilities, especially to encourage female sporting participation.

Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Victoria Danielle Green said the move represented the first opportunity for female change-rooms to be available at the Laharum oval.

She said she anticipated the development would help grow female football and cricket as well as netball.

The government, which has announced similar grants for projects at centres including St Arnaud, Donald and Tatyoon, has provided the money through its Country Football and Netball Program.

“This funding will go a long way to help Cameron Oval cater for the growing numbers of people keen to get involved in grassroots sport, and encourage more people to get active,” Ms Green said.

“Providing decent change-rooms for female participants and umpires is a must and I’m really pleased to announce this important funding for Laharum.

“Country clubs have bred some of our nation’s greatest sporting champions and we’re giving them the facilities they need to continue this proud tradition.”

Infrastructure fund

The new change-rooms will replace ageing and dilapidated facilities, which meant the Horsham council could tap into its infrastructure renewal fund to find the bulk of the $400,000 for stage one of the $1.4-million precinct project.

The council maintains the infrastructure renewal reserve with one percent of rates. At a fortnightly meeting on Monday night, the council heard that through ‘tight’ budgetary measures, a further $220,000 would be available for the fund without adding extra rates pressure in 2017-18.

The council agreed with a recommendation from corporate services director Graeme Harrison to write to the Essential Service Commission advising it would not apply for a ratecap variation in 2017-18.

But Mr Harrison warned that while the outcome had been achieved by using ‘rate-growth income, tight controls around additional staffing, implementation of efficiency savings and cost containment’ for 2017-18, it fell short of guaranteeing the measures would work for subsequent years.

Mr Harrison wrote in his report: “The council continues to be committed to fund the renewal gap and will continue to grow this reserve by at least one percent of rates in each financial year.

“However, council roads asset condition consultant Moloney recommends increasing the current renewal expenditure to around three percent of rates, compounding for the next 10 years, to maintain the current level of service in road infrastructure, excluding buildings.”

A multi-purpose community centre, likely to play a key role in Cameron Oval’s use as a northern Grampians fire-fighting base, is at the heart of the second stage of the Laharum project.

The second stage has a price tag of $750,000 and will only proceed with major financial backing from the Federal Government.