Community Grants help activate our great spaces in Wakefield

Council’s Community Grants have been announced for 2023/24 with the grants supporting $100,000 in community initiatives to activate 12 projects for our local community groups.

Grants are nominated in either the Minor or Major category. Minor Grants fund projects up to $2,000, while Major Grants fund projects from $2,001 to $25,000.

The largest project funded this year was $25,000 for Brinkworth/Koolunga Cricket Club to secure designs and drawings to renovate the clubroom facilities at Brinkworth Oval.

Other exciting projects funded through the program this year included $22,262.50 for the Owen Community Centre’s new storage shed and $20,000 for the Hamley Bridge Community and Sport centre’s fencing upgrade for the netball/tennis courts.

Some of the great minor projects funded this year included $1,800 towards new pathways for the Avon Town Hall, $2,000 for additional equipment for the Port Wakefield Darts Club and $1,404 for a new Youth Mural in Lochiel.

Mayor Rodney Reid highlighted that this year’s round of grants injected funding into community hubs and spaces such as the Brinkworth oval, Lochiel Community Centre and Hamley Bridge Sporting Precinct.

“Once again we have seen our community groups support Council’s vision of creating liveable communities, a thriving region and a sustainable future by activating these great community spaces,” Mayor Reid said.

“The broad range of funding will contribute towards great initiatives in fields such as infrastructure, sport, art and culture to deliver great community outcomes for our region.

“Each year I’m excited by the outcomes this funding delivers for our community, I cannot wait to see these projects come to fruition,” Mayor Reid said.

List of funded projects:

Minor Projects

Creating safer pathways around the Avon Hall (Avon Hall Committee) - $1,800

Courthouse Gallery signage (Balaklava Courthouse Gallery Committee) - $480 (partially funded)

Upgrade museum electrical wiring in workshop (Balaklava Museum) - $460 (partially funded)

Creation of a Blyth History room (Blyth Management Committee) – $900 (partially funded)

Lochiel Youth Mural (Lochiel Progress Association) - $1,404

Additional darts equipment (Port Wakefield Social Darts Association) - $2,000

Major Projects

Improving safety by transitioning to cordless tools (Balaklava men’s shed) - $3,857

Upgrading the Town Hall’s acoustics (Balaklava Town Hall Management committee) - $16,218.50 (partially funded)

Designs for the Brinkworth Community facility (Brinkworth Koolunga Cricket Club) - $25,000

New fencing surround (Hamley Bridge Community Sports Centre) - $20,000 (partially funded)

Lochiel community centre flooring (Lochiel Progress Association) - $5,618

Community storage shed (Owen Community Centre Committee) - $22,262.50