Orange City Council is inviting community groups to make a bid for funding for community infrastructure projects from the second round of the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund [SCCF].
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Three projects in the city – footpaths, toilets in Robertson Park, and the CBD lighting upgrade – were given $1.2 million in funding in last year’s first round of the SCCF.
Council last year submitted nine projects and mayor Reg Kidd is optimistic some of those which missed out might make the shortlist this time around.
“It was great news for Orange when deputy premier John Barilaro advised that local infrastructure projects would be funded to the tune of $1.6 million in this round,” he said.
“That gives the community groups who might have missed out last time the chance to put their hand up again, or for the council to hear about new projects that people have been exploring.
“We’re writing to everyone who put it a bid for a project last time, encouraging them to raise it again and update it with any fresh information.”
Cr Kidd said the government’s funding emphasis in the second round of allocations would be on sports infrastructure, “so half of the funding the council will seek will be for projects in that field”.
Interested community groups will need to lodge their project’s details with council by Thursday, which Cr Kidd concedes is a “tight timetable”.
“Practically we’re limited to projects that groups are already working on,” he said.
“Then we’ll again be asking the community what they think as we assess which projects should take a priority.”
“A council meeting in April will finalise the list of suggestions that will be put to the government. It’s then their call which projects they want to fund.”
After inviting applications from community groups, nine projects were submitted last year by council for round one funding, including:
- Under awning lighting in CBD (funded)
- Footpaths (funded)
- Domestic violence crisis centre for women and children
- Sir Jack Brabham new amenities facilities
- Wade Park lighting
- Upgrades for Rotary and Somerset parks
- Robertson Park toilet (funded)
- Re-surfacing a hockey playing field
- A child-safe play area and car parking at Presbyterian church
More information and application forms can be found at www.yoursay.orange.nsw.gov.au/stronger-country-communities.