MONEY began to flow in for Ballarat’s election wish list on Tuesday as the state Labor government unveiled its first budget.
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The much-hyped budget did not disappoint, with several major local projects included.
As expected, Ballarat will start to see funding for the majority of election commitments coming in the government’s first full financial year.
Major projects such as the Ballarat Railway Precinct and Eureka Stadium Precinct – taking in the showgrounds and Wendouree Sports and Events Centre redevelopment – will receive funding from the $250 million Regional Infrastructure Development Fund.
These projects are expected to receive funding as construction and planning commences, with the fund spread into four-year contributions.
However, little is known about how the money will be spread over the four years, with specific funding not listed in the budget papers.
MORE BUDGET COVERAGE:
Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford said there would be very rigorous testing around the expenditure.
She said the projects would receive milestone payments as they were developed.
“Planning and project control and governance are all already well under way,” she said.
Funding for a new ambulance station in Wendouree and the construction of a second cardiovascular catheterisation lab at the Ballarat Base Hospital were also included in the budget.
Ms Pulford said regional funding had been a particular focus.
Not surprisingly for a government claiming to want to turn Victoria into the education state, schools were also a major focus on Tuesday.
In Ballarat, Phoenix P-12 Community College received $1.8 million towards upgrades in the budget, with another $8.1 million to come in future budgets.
Ballarat Secondary College received just over $1.5 million in the budget for modernising year 11 and 12 facilities. Another $4.48 million will be included in future.
And Ballarat High School is set to receive a huge portion of its promised $8 million Coalition commitment, having only spent $31,000 in the previous financial year.
matthew.dixon@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Big bounce for Wendouree basketball courts
FOUR more indoor courts will be added to the Wendouree Sports and Events Centre with funding announced in the state budget.
The courts will alleviate the massive demand on space for indoor sports in Ballarat, but Ballarat Basketball is still hoping to add two more courts in the future.
Ballarat Basketball chief executive officer Peter Eddy said the $9 million announcement was a huge relief.
He said the Norman Street facility was planned to become the main hub for indoor sports in Ballarat, replacing the Minerdome.
“The Minerdome no longer meets national standards to bring big events to Ballarat. You need six courts and the Minerdome has four.”
The Wendouree centre currently has two, and the additions will bring it up to a competitive standard to bring major sporting events to town.
Mr Eddy said that if the design and development for the reconstruction began in June, the new facility could be open by March, 2018.
He said between basketball, netball and volleyball games, more than 7000 people used Ballarat’s indoor sporting facilities each week, 40 weeks of the year.
“We currently have 10.10pm matches starting every night of the week. We would be the latest operating sport in Ballarat.
“Ideally, our last games would be at 9.30pm, but we have to fit all the matches in.”
The government has allocated $9 million towards the project, and combined with funding from council, Ballarat Basketball has $14 million to work with.
“We needed $21 million to build the additional six courts, but we’ll be able to build four with $14 million,” Mr Eddy said.
The sports centre development is just one part of a plan to revamp the entire Eureka Stadium Precinct, including the showgrounds.
AT A GLANCE
Ballarat’s big winners
• Ballarat Railway Precinct
• Eureka Stadium Precinct
• Wendouree ambulance station
• Cardio lab at Base Hospital
• Phoenix P-12 Community
College
• Ballarat Secondary College
• Ballarat High School
• Ballarat West Emergency
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