Sport and Recreation Minister James Merlino visited to announce the grant to help drought proof the ovals of Ballarat High School.

The money will be spent reseeding the turf with drought-tolerant cooch grass on two ovals and new infrastructure to catch run-off from rainfall.

Ballarat High School is one of 12 schools in Victoria to receive money not spent for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Principal Peter Dredge said the funding was important because the school allowed other sporting groups to use its ovals, not just its own students.

"In schools we are always looking at building community relationships, and this is one of those opportunities where we can improve those relationships," he said.

"Schools shouldn't shut at 4pm. I think schools should be open and should be a community facility."

Mr Merlino said yesterday's rainfall would not change the effect the drought was having on sporting ovals across western Victoria.

"It's quite ironic driving through snow to Ballarat today to make this announcement," he said.

"It's important none-the-less. We are still in the middle of the worst drought in this state's history, and this is about making changes so we can deal with dry conditions, not just in the summer coming up but in the years down the track."

The State Government grant of $250,000 is in addition to a Federal Government grant of $50,000.

The council has promised $30,000 of in-kind support in the form of project management while the school has also raised $30,000 for the project.

It is hoped the works on the oval will begin about September or October.