After 20 years of having no formal storage for their award-winning sets, the Holiday Actors and the Warrnambool Theatre Group will soon benefit from an extension to Goodwin Hall - with the project funded via the Warrnambool City Council Small Infrastructure Fund.
At its meeting on July 5, Council voted unanimously to endorse five community projects worth a combined $430,000 to be delivered via the fund in the coming financial year.
As well as the upgrade to Goodwin Hall, other successful projects include a new verandah roof for the Warrnambool Croquet Club, concrete resurfacing at the BMX track, a rabbit fence at Jetty Flat Oval and a new storage shed for the Dragon Boat Club.
Warrnambool Theatre Group President Ailiche Goddard-Clegg thanked Council for its support.
"It's a huge win for theatre in Warrnambool," she said.
"It means that we can come together as two theatre groups who represent people from 12 to over 80 and keep on creating fantastic theatre for the region.
"The Warrnambool City Council investment in the arts is really important and we thank the Councillors for their support of this really phenomenal investment in both of our companies."
Holiday Actors President Jen Lukeis said that the extension will allow the group to create the fantastic sets they want without being limited by storage space.
"We'll have the ability to create some big sets, we are creating some amazing sets now and this space will allow us to store our costumes safely as well," she said.
"At the moment people need to climb up a ladder to get costumes to bring them down."
The Small Infrastructure Fund was set up in 2014 and allows Council to respond to community needs around small infrastructure projects.
Warrnambool Mayor Cr Vicki Jellie thanked the successful clubs for their applications.
"These are all great projects that will have benefits for the clubs as well as the wider community," she said.
"Our local clubs are often run by volunteers who put in a lot of hard work to make the lives of those around them better, and initiatives like the Small Infrastructure Fund are one way that Council can support them."
