Horsham Rural City Council has welcomed Victorian Government support through the Sport and Recreation Victoria Local Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSIF), with funding secured to develop master plans for three important community recreation precincts across the municipality.
The project will deliver contemporary master plans for Quantong Recreation Reserve, Laharum Recreation Reserve and the Central Park Community Sports Precinct, helping establish clear priorities for future investment, participation and infrastructure development.
The project is supported by a $40,000 contribution from the Victorian Government through the LSIF Planning Stream, alongside $30,000 from Council and $50,000 in previously secured recovery funding for Quantong Recreation Reserve, delivering a combined project budget of $120,000.
Mayor Cr Brian Klowss said the funding would help communities shape a clear vision for the future of their recreation reserves which serve and enable community sport and active recreation outcomes for each community.
"These reserves have served local communities for generations and continue to play an important role in the life of our towns and districts," Cr Klowss said.
The master plans will identify opportunities to improve accessibility, inclusion, participation, gender equity, sustainability and multi-use community infrastructure, while supporting future funding applications and staged development.
Each site serves a unique role within the municipality.
At Central Park, the planning will focus on creating a more connected and future-focused sporting precinct, including opportunities to improve ageing facilities, accessibility and participation outcomes.
At Laharum Recreation Reserve, the master plan will help address changing participation trends, support the reserve's role as a community hub and emergency management facility, and identify priorities for future infrastructure investment.
For Quantong Recreation Reserve, the planning will build on community feedback gathered following the Grass Flat fire, where residents identified improved accessibility, safety, female-friendly facilities and broader recreation opportunities as key priorities.
Cr Klowss said the project was an important step forward for the Quantong community as it continued its recovery journey.
"After everything the Quantong community has been through this year, it's important that recovery is not only about rebuilding, but also about planning for a positive future. This funding gives the community an opportunity to help shape what that future looks like," he said.
"I've seen firsthand how important these facilities are to people. They bring generations together and provide places where friendships are formed and community spirit thrives.
"We're grateful for the Victorian Government's support through the Local Sports Infrastructure Fund, which recognises the importance of well-planned, inclusive community facilities in regional and rural communities," Cr Klowss said.
Council will undertake consultation with user groups, clubs, stakeholders and the broader community throughout the project to ensure the master plans enable strengthened community sport and active recreation outcomes to remain central to each master plan.
