The Derrinallum Bowls Club is one of 49 local sporting venues set to benefit from facility and ground upgrades, thanks to a Victorian Government funding program to help keep community sport alive and provide long term, sustainable, low water use community sporting facilities.
Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP, said the Derrinallum Bowls Club would receive $60,000 as part of the latest round of the Drought Relief for Community Sport and Recreation Program.
Ms Tierney said the 49 projects would share in more than $2.3 million and benefit not just the members of local clubs, but the whole community, including local schools and community groups.
The Derrinallum Bowls Club Synthetic Green project will replace the existing grass bowling green with a synthetic bowling surface.
“Initiatives like these help local communities develop sustainable approaches to water management at their sporting facilities, enabling them to support higher levels of use and participation, especially in times of drought,” Ms Tierney said.
“By improving the quality and water efficiency of local facilities, we are encouraging even greater participation for all Victorians in sport and recreation,” Ms Tierney said.
“Facilities like Derrinallum Bowls Club play an important part in the lives of many local residents and this funding will bring new life to the facility,” Ms Tierney said.
Sport and Recreation Minister, James Merlino, said the Victorian Government was proud of its investment to improve local sporting facilities.
“As we recently saw after Black Saturday, local sport has a real power to bring communities together – in good times and in bad,” Mr Merlino said.
“Local sporting clubs are at the heart of our communities and by improving the quality of their facilities, we’re encouraging even more people to get healthy and active,” Mr Merlino said.
“That’s why we’re delighted to have invested over $27 million for more than 590 drought-related projects since 2006.
For more information about the Drought Relief for Community Sport and Recreation Program, visit www.sport.vic.gov.au.