In a year of big stadium wins and all-but-complete resurfacing roll-out, a shiny move forward for the lighting project still has much that is unclear.

City of Ballarat councillors officially acknowledged the path lighting as a high priority when voting to adopt a Lake Wendouree Master Plan in late November.

Ballarat mayor Samantha McIntosh had indicated she hoped elements would gain government and opposition favour. But there is still no firm word yet on what form the lighting will take, nor how it will work, only that it has an estimated $1.5 million price tag.

Ballarat athletes, recreational users and sporting groups have been actively lobbying on social media to light up a safer pathway for early morning and evening lake-goers since mid-2015.

More than 80 per cent of respondents to the preliminary Lake Wendouree Master Plan draft showed they supported track illumination.

The sporting infrastructure project has started to gain traction with council in a year of big stadium wins for Ballarat.

Indoor sports groups are expecting the first sod to be turned on the Ballarat Sports and Events Centre by the end of February after a $10 million windfall in late July granted the full vision for the stadium.

Tenders have closed for the redevelopment. Basketball Ballarat chief executive officer Peter Eddy said all tenders had come in with a shorter build time than expected and stadium completion could be as early as March 2019.

BSEC’s $24 million full redevelopment will add six courts to the existing two indoor courts on Norman Street and will feature a 3000-seat showcourt plus multi-use community lecture and recreation facilities and dedicated home training bases for the city’s marquee basketball and netball teams.

The $10 million federal boost had been knocked back three times after extensive lobbying under the now-defunct National Stronger Regions Fund and following almost 11 years of campaigning governments for improved facilities.

Big winners will be families, who have been on the frontlines of court space pressures, which will play out for another year. Tender requirements were specific about minimal disruption during construction.

Meanwhile, the rebranded Mars Stadium redevelopment was all-but-complete in July with final polishing off right up until the first AFL premiership season match on Ballarat turf on August 19.

The Bulldogs have already made sounds the club is keen to lobby the state to double the 11,000-seat capacity as they continue to make their Ballarat kennel a home.

Ballarat is set to host two more in-season AFL games with the Bulldogs in 2018.

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Grassroots footballers and fans will soon enjoy a resurfaced Eastern Oval and complete upgrade and realignment at City Oval. This bring major grounds in line with Marty Busch Reserve in Sebastopol, which kicked-off early last season and resurfacing works at Lake Wendouree, Alfredton and Northern Oval number two.