At its meeting on Wednesday, September 25, the Moira Shire Council administration voted to allocate over half a million dollars to upgrading facilities at the Katunga Recreation Reserve.
Moira Shire Council Administrator Suzanna Sheed moved that council carry forward the $556,000 from last year’s budget into the first quarterly review of the 2024/25 budget.
“We’ve had the opportunity to visit the Katunga Recreation Reserve on several occasions, and it certainly is in need of upgrade,” Administrator Sheed said.
“This recommendation is looking at ways of achieving that. Firstly, trying to get some grant funding through the Growing the Regions Fund, but also to commit council to a set amount to be able to contribute towards it.”
“It is a facility that is really well-used. The netball and football clubs are active, and it’s important that they have the facilities they need.”
The motion was passed with no abstentions.
The state of the change rooms has long been of concern to locals, with a September 2017 audit finding asbestos in the home and away change rooms.
The audit, commissioned by Moira Shire Council, rated the state of the asbestos in the away change room to as a ‘potential elevated risk with the recommendation that it be removed.’
The change rooms reside on crown land and are in the care of a volunteer management committee appointed by Moira Shire Council.
In 2018, the Katunga Recreation Reserve and Community Centre Strategic and Master Plan evaluated the upgrade of the change rooms as a high priority.
The project was rated a priority ahead of 14 other projects, which included constructing a new community facility and delivering power to the reserve.
Council cited escalating construction costs, alongside successive failed grant applications, in explaining why the upgrade project has so far not commenced.
Moira Shire Council’s 2023/24 budget estimated the upgrade of the change rooms at the reserve to cost $1.237 million.
The budget outlines that at least $631,000 of this will be sourced from grant funding.
Funding for the project is pending the outcome of the grant application.
Moira Shire Council has been contacted for further comment.