By Jessica Micallef
A regional sports precinct will go ahead in the Macedon Ranges, regardless of who wins this month’s state election.
A week after the Labor government pledged $11.6 million for an outdoor sports precinct, the opposition has promised $15 million to build a Macedon Ranges Sports Hub and the New Gisborne Regional Sports Field.
The indoor sports hub will be used for sporting clubs, a dance studio and an auditorium for large events. The indoor facility can also be used for outdoor sports.
The Sports Fields’ two new ovals will incorporate grass and synthetic playing surfaces for football, cricket and soccer, netball and tennis courts, outdoor recreation spaces and a brand new pavilion.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said he was looking forward to providing grassroots-level sports with new facilities.
“Only a Liberal Nationals government will provide our community sports clubs with the backing they need to get back in control and build the facilities they need to support local population growth,” Mr Guy said.
Liberal candidate for Macedon Amanda Millar said the sport precinct will help give the growing population in the Macedon area more facilities to work with.
“In the Macedon Ranges, local population has grown by around 10,000 people in the last decade, but there’s been no extra funding for local sport clubs to cater for this growth,” Ms Millar said.
“There’s more work to get done but this is a good start to get back in control of the pressure local population growth has put on community sport.”
Sports precinct advocate Helen Sankey said the election promise made by both parties was a huge win for the Macedon community.
“It’s been something we’ve aimed for since 2006,” Ms Sankey said.
“We had to keep knocking back children because we didn’t have the facilities.
“We are confident it is secured … The level of support from the state government is enormous.”
Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas announced last week that Dixon Field in Gisborne will receive $220,000 if Labor is re-elected.
The funding will go towards a pavilion re-development, which will create two gender neutral changerooms.
