Perseverance pays off for Houlihan

Adecade of lobbying for money to improve ‘some of the worst facilities in the state’ has paid off for Harrow stalwart Tom Houlihan – to the tune of $1-million.

The State Government last week announced Harrow and District Recreation Reserve would share in $60-million for community sporting facilities allocated in the 2018-19 Victorian Budget.

As reserve committee president for 20 years and a West Wimmera Shire councillor, Cr Houlihan knows how difficult it can be to attract government funding for even the most worthwhile projects.

“This project has been on West Wimmera Shire books for 10 years,” he said.

“We weren’t getting results so I took it over myself and started negotiating with government departments.”

Cr Houlihan said he was ‘excited but relieved’ when he heard the good news.

“Harrow has the very, very worst facilities in the Horsham District league,” he said.

“They are a bloody disgrace and are fully recognised as the worst – but it’s not for a lack of trying.

“My committee has been trying to do something about them for a decade.

“I still have the rejection letter from the first grant application I filled out, back in 2009.”

The project will involve demolishing the current change rooms to build new ones, along with a medical room, gymnasium and crèche.

Cr Houlihan, who was founding president of Harrow-balmoral Football Netball Club when it formed in 1997, said the redevelopment would have wide-reaching benefits, not only for football and netball, but also for cricket, senior residents and the Country Fire Authority.

“This project has a particular emphasis on creating facilities for female participation,” he said.

“As well as netball we have an AFLW licence now, so we will be looking at change rooms that cater to both male and female umpires, footballers and netballers.

“During a fire, the recreation reserve becomes a staging area for the CFA. These days, a lot of CFA volunteers are women and we need to have facilities for them.”

Cr Houlihan said the reserve also catered for the region’s senior citizens.

“We don’t have a senior citizens centre in Harrow and our senior ladies meet at the rec reserve every Monday. It’s important to have good facilities for them, including a medical room,” he said.

“At the same time we want to cater for families, so I’d like to put in a crèche with a glass front so the mums can come outside and play netball or do their exercises, but if something goes wrong, they can still see their kids.

“Basically our aim is to create a good building that will still service the community in 20 years’ time, when my grandchildren are playing here.”

“Harrow has the very, very worst facilities in the Horsham District league. They are a bloody disgrace and are fully recognised as the worst – but it’s not for a lack of trying” – Tom Houlihan

Fundraising

Cr Houlihan said the reserve committee would look to raise another $300,000 for the project.

He said the community contribution to date stood at $150,000, including a $100,000 donation from Geoff Handbury.

“To attract money like the $1-million grant, you have got to have somebody who’s willing to make the first big donation,” Cr Houlihan said.

“In this case, it was Mr Handbury and family. Having Mr Handbury’s donation, plus the $50,000 we’ve been able to raise through the community, meant we could go to the government with $150,000.

“I also need to thank Member for Western Victoria Jaala Pulford and Tim and the rest of her staff in the Ballarat office who have supported me sensationally throughout the process for the past three years.

“They helped me get my application to a state that when the money was announced, it was ready to be submitted.

“Without their help – and the Victorian Labor government – it would have been the same old story.”

Harrow-balmoral Football Netball Club president Rosemary Langley said she was blown away by the amount of funding received.

“Considering we’ve been trying to get $500,000 for the past five or six years to finish off a Balmoral upgrade, this announcement is amazing,” she said.

Mrs Langley said while Harrow’s clubhouse was in good condition, the change rooms were sorely lacking.

“The AFL did an audit last year and both Harrow and Balmoral change rooms were among the worst in the state,” she said.

“I imagine that’s had some bearing on the funding announcement.

“Full marks to all those who have put a lot of time and effort into this project. To see it coming to fruition is fantastic.”

Cr Houlihan said on-site work would begin on Sunday, September 16, the day after the 2018 Horsham District league grand final.