MILDURA councillors will vote to contribute an additional $1.48 million to the Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct (MSRSP) at Wednesday’s meeting, as part of a revised project budget.
The council – which has committed $8M to the $36.5 million multi-purpose precinct – has determined the project will require an increase in budget after revisiting the scope and design.
As it stands, the project has a $10 million shortfall which has forced construction at the Deakin Avenue and Sixteenth Street intersection to be staged.
Recreation and sport councillor Glenn Milne hoped the funding proposal would be endorsed to provide clarity for stage one of the project.
“It’s an interesting exercise because of the timelines … the precinct has to be built by a certain amount of time … the government grants have to be used by a certain amount of time so it’s all been very compacted,” he said.
“What it’s taken us to get to this point is now looking at the real value and that’s what it is going to cost.
“We haven’t been able to get any further funding from the state government so the community is going to have to pay itself.”
Additional funds will enable stage one upgrades to the main oval including a turf wicket, a secondary fence, feature entrance gates and tower upgrades for lighting.
Preparatory ground works, increased pavilion size, upgraded roof structure for solar and an additional 2.8m space in the Court Hall will also be completed in stage one if councillors endorse the amended scope.
The Federal Government has committed $17.5 million towards the MSRSP, while the Victorian Government has pledged $3 million.
Victorian Sport Minister Martin Pakula was in Mildura last month and attended a roundtable discussion which resulted in a commitment to submit a bid via the Budget and Expenditure Review Committee process for a funding allocation in the future budget.
But Cr Milne said it was disappointing the state government had not contributed more funding earlier.
“It frustrates me incredibly,” he said.
“Normally you would get state, federal and local government share and that’s just not happening … $3 million is a third of what the community is putting in. It’s terrible. There’s no other way you can explain it.
“The state government needs to step up and we need to see a decent contribution.”
The project includes a six-court indoor stadium, AFL-standard oval with separate pavilion and a second floor stadium including function rooms and social/club rooms.
Stage two plans, which include squash courts, a second multipurpose sports field, outdoor beach volleyball and outdoor netball courts, will be reliant on future funding opportunities.
The MSRSP project will be the largest infrastructure investment by all levels of government in the region, contributing to a direct spend of $76 million to the community and opening 229 job opportunities during and post construction.
A council spokesman on Monday confirmed the estimated start date for construction was dependent on securing the tender and subject to the contractor’s availability, but hoped initial works would start early next month.
