General News
26 March, 2025
Skatepark funding application deferred
Horsham Rural City Council elected members voted against the staff recommendation to endorse the application to the Community Facilities stream of Round 2 of the Regional Community Sports Infrastructure Fund for the Horsham Central Play Park upgrade at the February monthly meeting.
The total cost of the project for the first stage of the project was $1.25 million with a council contribution of $250,000, the amount needed to secure the $1 million funding.
This funding had a 4:1 ratio rather than the usual 2.1 ratio and is not expected to be repeated.
Included in the concept plan for Stage 1 was a learn-to-ride/roll bowl adjoining the main skate bowl, a beginner and advanced pump track, a multipurpose sports court, a play and gather space, site preparation and readiness for additional staging, and footpaths and connectors.
However, councillors voted to delay the application based on the additional funding and contribution the council would face based on completing the three-stage project.
The initial concept plan for the total project of $1,601,750 saw the council's contribution being $601,750 to secure the $1 million funding.
At the February meeting Cr Rebecca Sluggett said although she was in favour of the project, she was concerned about some of the unknown factors, including the extra stages to complete the project, and moved a motion defer the application until the March meeting.
Cr Sluggett said her motion was based on councillors being provided an accurate total project cost for all stages in an amended report.
She added that the additional time would also give councillors time to fully understand the discretionary budget and the potential; opportunity costs to endorse the project. Cr Cam McDonald seconded the motion.
Chief executive Craig Niemann reminded the members the closing date for closing date for Round 2 application was Match 17 2025 which was before the next council meeting.
Cr Angela Munn moved an amendment that supported both parts of the motion but removed the timeline of the March meeting. It was seconded by Cr Todd Wilson and was carried.
HRCC mayor Ian Ross said he supported the decision based on the reasons put forward by his fellow councillors.
"This council does not want to delay any of the projects that improve life and enjoyment for the community and attract visitors to Horsham but as a new council we need to be across all needs and these include basics like the gravel roads program," he said.
"Council, like everyone, has budgets that must be balanced, and as a new council we also need to be across the income and outlay of council's budget; sometimes that means we delay some of the glossy things in favor of the basics.
"All new councils inherit decisions made by previous councils and we want to implement these but with budgetary considerations."
The recommendation to council for this application showed that an allocation of $250,000 has been factored into the 2026‐2027 FY budget to cover the co-contribution, subject to receiving $1M from SRV.
Also stated in the recommendations; the RCSIF $1M grant together with the $250,000 council co-contribution would cover all recreational components of the plan with landscaping and other amenities required to be factored into a second stage of works in subsequent budgets and would be fully functional without additional investment.
The suite of plans and costings developed for the application provide a current account of costs for additional landscaping and other non‐funded components, which can be applied to other grants if opportunities arise the recommendation stated.
BACKGROUND:
Following the cancellation of the 2024 Commonwealth Games, the Victorian Government launched a new funding program with two rounds, the first in March 2024 followed by a second in March 2025.
The funding was a reallocation of investment from the cancelled Commonwealth Games and is delivered through Sport and Recreation Victoria, called the Regional Community Sports Infrastructure Fund.
The RCSIF is additional to the regular annual funding rounds available through SRV and has more generous maximum grant limits and funding ratios of 4:1 rather than 2:1 and are not expected to be repeated.
Delivered through two rounds, the Fund supports the construction, programming, and activation of community sports and active recreation infrastructure.
Round 2 was made public on 28 October 2024.
According to Council reports, the Council approved the concept plan for Horsham’s Central Play Space at its meeting on April 24, 2023.
In February 2024, the Council approved the concept plan for Horsham’s Central Play Space at its meeting on April 24, 2023.
In February 2024, the council approved the Horsham Central Play Space as a shovel ready recreational priority and its’ application for Round 1 of the RSCIF, noting that the council also sought funding through the Federal Government Play Our Way program in April 2024, which was unsuccessful.
HRCC made an application to Round One on 27 March 2024, to upgrade the Horsham Central Park Playspace - the Skatepark.
This application was competitive, but unfortunately unsuccessful.
HRCC was invited to resubmit its application to Round 2 of the RCSIF, through the Community Facilities stream with several minor adjustments.