Significant upgrade projects are now complete at Wellington Shire Council community facilities Airly-Clydebank Public Hall, Boisdale Recreation Reserve and Briagolong Tennis Club thanks to funding provided by the Latrobe Valley Authority’s Community and Facility Fund.
Accessibility upgrades at Airly-Clydebank Public Hall were made possible by a $142,432 grant from the Fund, with upgrades including entry ramps to the front and rear doors, disabled parking and sealed pathways between parking and entrance, widening doorways, new toilets including a DDA compliant unisex toilet, while sustainability upgrades included roof replacement, solar panels, heating and cooling, electrical upgrades, and refurbished kitchen with efficient hot water service.
The improvements will directly benefit the local arts community and two local primary schools who use the Hall, with the improvements helping to bring people together and ensure the sustainability of the Hall into the future.
Above: plaque unveiling to mark completion of upgrades at Airly-Clydebank Public Hall.
The Boisdale community have new change room facilities at the local Recreation Reserve thanks to a $329,512 grant from the Fund, including demolition and replacement of the existing changerooms with new home and umpire change rooms, an upgrade to oval lighting, upgrade mains power, and a retrofit of the existing home change rooms to become visitor facilities.
The new change rooms are accessible, female-friendly and compliant with current local level AFL standards including individual shower cubicles and an ambulant accessible toilet cubicle. The upgrades at the Reserve are set to help increase sports participation rates within the community, including among female football and netball players from Boisdale-Briagolong Football Netball Club.
While Members and players at nearby Briagolong Tennis Club are benefitting from improved court accessibility and safety upgrades at Briagolong Recreation Reserve thanks to a $50,783 grant.
Upgrade works included new shade and seating areas, concrete and pathways, fencing and accessible gates, which will improve disabled access and safety for players and spectators. Accessibility upgrades will be a huge benefit to the local community and help increase participation, with Briagolong Primary School advising that the improvements will now enable a student using a wheelchair to participate in tennis training activities.
Local contractors played a big part in these community projects – providing economic benefit to the region, as well as broader community benefit for years to come.
Since 2016, the Latrobe Valley Authority’s $20 million Community and Facility Fund has supported more than 180 community projects across Latrobe City, Wellington and Baw Baw shire regions.
The Fund is now fully subscribed, with LVA staff continuing to work with individual groups to complete projects already underway.