MILDURA’S recreation and sport councillor says the council remains hopeful the Victorian Government will fund the outstanding $10 million to complete the Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct.
Cr Glenn Milne on Thursday said the council was “always hopeful that the state might come to the party” with additional funding to realise the full design concept.
Cr Milne said the first stage of the project was “well and truly under way” with the Federal Government’s commitment of $17.5 million, council funding of $9.479 million and the Victorian Government’s $3 million.
Stage 1 includes a six-court indoor stadium, administration offices, spectator seating, cafe-kiosk and an AFL-standard oval with separate pavilion, including changerooms, kiosk-canteen, public amenities, spectator seating and storage.
Stage 2, which is reliant on additional funding, would add squash courts, a second multipurpose sports field and outdoor beach volleyball and outdoor netball courts.
Cr Milne said much of the pre-construction works at the site had been completed as design work for the building and Deakin Avenue and Sixteenth Street intersection continues.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper this week vowed to “ramp up” pressure on the State Government for additional funding for the project, saying it needed to contribute its “fair share”.
Cr Milne said council staff were also working towards attracting more money for stage 2.
“We still need another $10 million and by rights the state should fund the whole lot,” he said.
“The community has well and truly put in … we’ve done our bit and it’s really up to the government to do their bit.
“We’ve talked about a major stadium for the past 15 years or so, so I don’t think you’d give up without a very long fight … you just keep going until you get it.”
Cr Milne said stage 2 would remain on the table until funding could be acquired.
“We’re not going away, we’re still going to be here and the project will be there,” he said.
“The state hasn’t done its bit and it should, so the expectation should be that the State Government would pay it.”
The sporting precinct is scheduled to be ready for use by mid-2021 with the AFL-standard ground ready for use at the start of the 2022 Sunraysia Football Netball League season.
