The City of Mount Gambier – 2023/2024 Sport and Recreation Capital Works Program is now open for applications for sporting and recreation clubs in Mount Gambier to assist with capital works or upgrades.

The aim of the City of Mount Gambier Sport and Recreation Capital Works Program is to foster and assist in the development and/or capital renewal of sport and recreation infrastructure within the city.

Projects considered under the funding program include capital renewal of existing infrastructure, capital upgrades and new capital assets, projects aimed at increasing the community usage of specific sport or recreation facilities, projects that improve existing buildings fire or public safety, or projects that are consistent with council’s strategic objectives including the Sport, Recreation and Open Spaces Strategy and Disability Access and Inclusion Plan.

City Infrastructure general manager Barbara Cernovskis said the funding was available to assist with projects with a minimum total cost of $10,000 and a maximum total cost of $50,000, with an allocation of $100,000 on offer under the 2023/2024 Sport and Recreation Capital Works Program.

“Council has provided over $1m towards local sport and recreation facilities through this fund since the program’s inception in 2010,” she said.

In 2022/2023 Council provided the Lower South East Hockey Association with $22,000 under the Major Capital Works Program to assist with bird damage protection for their synthetic playing surface.

Lower South East Hockey Association representative Daniel Grosse said the works had greatly helped the association.

“This project, in particular the ability to fix the turf, allowed the completion of two state U18 training camps consisting of 70 athletes and their families and a visit from the Burnside Hockey Club consisting of 35 athletes and coaches,” he said.

“We now have the opportunity to proactively protect our synthetic surfaces in the off-season.

Whilst also, due to the design of the netting, utilise the turf in the off-season.

“This has not been an option in the past as all other temporary turf protection solutions made the turf completely unusable.”

Visit mountgambier.sa.gov.au/SRCWProgram for further information about the program including the program guidelines and application form.

Applications close on September 4 at 5pm.