Community
24 April, 2025
Shire awards $50,000 for stadium project
TERANG Stadium is set for a major upgrade after Corangamite Shire Council agreed to push ahead with a $50,000 investment despite the State Government rejecting funding for a larger project.
At this week’s Ordinary Meeting of Council, councillors approved the recommendation to allocate the funding which will be used to upgrade the stadium’s basketball ring system.
Council had made the funding commitment under the 2024-2025 Budget as part of a vision for the stadium which was reliant on funding from Sport and Recreation Victoria (SRV), but at this week’s Ordinary Meeting of Council agreed to release the funds for a new purpose after SRV indicated it would not support the larger project.
The original vision for Terang Stadium had been for a $400,000 upgrade, $300,000 of which would be sourced from SRV, to accommodate the ring upgrades, new seating, new flooring and new accessible bathrooms and showers.
However, SRV had outlined to council the project was “unlikely to gain support” due to the competitiveness of grant programs.
The report before council noted the current basketball ring systems no longer meet the needs of the community and are considered a not-fit-for-purpose, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) risk.
Corangamite Shire councillors had the option to approve the contribution despite the lack of state funding, or to withhold the funding in the 2024-2025 Budget as savings.
With the funding allocated, the installation of the new basketball ring systems has been costed at $99,000 and can be fully funded and installed prior to the end of 2025.
Councillor Geraldine Conheady moved the motion to award the funding, praising the comprehensive nature of the report and saying it spoke for itself.
“The Terang and District Indoor Sports and Recreation Committee (TDISRC) really are a highly functional committee, dedicated and committed to the work they’re doing,” she said.
“There already are two elements of the original body of works which have been completed – the toilets and showers and the bathroom shower – so you can see this committee will use that $50,000 contribution very well, very wisely, and they’ll deliver in the project as they’ve shown so many times before.
“I don’t think it’s a difficult decision.”
The motion was seconded by councillor Ruth Gstrein, who echoed the praise on the committee.
“They are an amazing committee,” she said.
“They have done so much at that stadium over the last few years.”
Cr Gstrein, as seconder, praised the “amazing committee” but said it was disappointing for the State Government to reject funding.
“We realise things seem very tight,” she said.
“We can’t just ignore a set of basketball rings which is an OHS risk and not fit for purpose.”
The recommendation was carried unanimously.
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