Millions of dollars must to be pumped into the city’s failing railway network and unfunded infrastructure projects to secure Ballarat’s future.
The fate of the city hinges on significant investment in Wednesday’s Victorian budget into big ticket items.
Crucial infrastructure and job creation projects like the Civic Hall site and Ballarat Railway Station Precinct depend on outside investment for plans to get off the ground.
The V/Line train saga has almost brought the Ballarat service to a halt.
Commuters are fed-up with delays, overcrowded trains, faulty wheel wear problems and a system that continues to fail them.
Controversial new plans for Civic Hall propose converting it into a library but the project hinges on $12 million of outside investment being pumped into the site.
It remains critical capacity on the railway line is fixed, whether it be through multi-million dollar investment into more carriages or another passing loop.
Soaring rates of family violence continue to inundate the city’s welfare agencies.
The state government announced a $572 million funding boost across Victoria to address the issue, however there has been no word on designated funding for Ballarat.
The government has announced a $6 million drug treatment centre for the Ballarat region to tackle the city’s ice scourge.
But Ballarat Health Services' acting chief executive, Andrew Kinnersly said more investment was needed into mental health and to help BHS manage the growing demand for all its services.
Mayor Des Hudson said investment into employment, health, education and infrastructure was at the top the council’s wish list.
A multi-storey and car parking and Central Business District infrastructure were also high on the mayor’s agenda.
The state government has already announced Mount Clear College will receive $2.1 million while Ballarat Secondary College’s Wendouree Campus will receive $3 million.
On Wednesday the state government also announced ten new tech schools are set to open at the cost of $116 million, including one housed at Federation University.
The fate of a new Country Fire Authority training centre site is also up in the air.
The hunt has been on for several months to find a new training site after Fiskville was shut down due to high levels of toxins found in local water.
The state government is yet to find land for the centre and significant investment is needed to build it.
The Courier will report live updates from the state government budget lock-up in Melbourne tomorrow.
