Backing a brighter future for regional sport and recreation

Forty-one new projects will share in almost $24 million from Round 2 of the Victorian Government’s Regional Community Sports Infrastructure Fund.

Kinglake Memorial Reserve will receive $875,000 towards the redevelopment of the sports oval including upgrades to drainage, irrigation, drought tolerant turf and synthetic turf cricket wicket.

More than $350,000 will go towards a 500 lux LED lighting upgrade at Wangaratta’s Targoora Park so that baseball and softball players can play and train at night.

$3 million will go to upgrade and restore the Maryborough Municipal Olympic Swimming Pool Complex, including improved accessibility, a new access ramp for the learn-to-swim pool, refurbishment of servery and administration area and a new family changing room.

Mansfield Swimming Pool will benefit from more than $1 million to deliver upgrades including an all-abilities ramp and sensory play area to make the pool safer and more accessible.

In addition, a retractable pool enclosure will be added to the learn to swim pool, allowing the facility to offer year round programs. Mansfield Shire Council will also partner with Mansfield Autism Statewide and Mansfield Support Group to deliver staff disability training.

The Regional Community Sports Infrastructure Fund is supported by the Regional Community Sport Development Fund and the All Abilities Sport Fund and is a game-changer for regional Victoria with 67 infrastructure projects and 8 participation initiatives supported across both rounds.

This is part of more than $2.4 billion invested by the Victorian Government in community sports infrastructure since 2014.

The Victorian Budget 2025/26 is also kicking in $20 million to continue providing new and improved community sports infrastructure through initiatives like the statewide Local Sports Infrastructure Fund.

Initiatives like these are also about inclusion, fair play, creating jobs, stimulating local economies, and improving the health, wellbeing, and social outcomes for Victorian communities.

The recent release of the Community Sports Infrastructure 2024 Outcomes Statement – a Sport and Recreation Victoria (SRV) report, highlights the positive impacts of government-funded projects.

In the last 2 years alone more than 330 funded facilities, subject of the statement, have increased participation by almost 43 percent or over 70,200 new participants, including a 19 percent increase in girls playing sport.

That’s more people of all ages and abilities swimming, playing soccer, netball, volleyball, skateboarding, cycling and more at a range of facilities from skate parks to netball courts, close to home.

And it’s not just participation that’s booming, local economies have been boosted with over 1,170 direct full-time jobs supported in the delivery of more than $538 million worth of community sport and active recreation infrastructure across Victoria.

For more information about the fund and successful projects visit Regional Community Sports Infrastructure Fund.