Lack of funding sees postponement of Maryborough Olympic Pool Complex restoration and reopening

Central Goldfields Shire Council was recently notified that their funding application to the Federal Government's Growing Regions Fund for the Maryborough Olympic Pool Complex was unsuccessful.

While Council has stated its commitment to reopening the pool complex for the community, it noted the need for both state and federal funding support to achieve this.

Central Goldfields Shire Maryborough Ward Cr Geoff Lovett advised “the reality is that due to the high cost of the project, we as a Council cannot fund this project on our own - we must get funding from both Federal and State Governments to do so.

"In the case of this project, getting funding from one level of government isn't enough – we need both levels of government to show commitment to the project."

At the May Council Meeting earlier this week, a decision was made to defer the Victorian Government funding application.

Considered as an Urgent Business item at the Meeting, the Officers Report recommended that Council confirm a co-contribution to the Victorian Government's Sport and Recreation Victoria Regional Community and Sports Infrastructure Fund application through $4 million in future borrowings.

Council decided to defer the commitment to contribute to the project through borrowings until further information and options could be considered.

As a result of this decision, Council will withdraw its current application to the Victorian Government's Sport and Recreation Regional Community and Sports Infrastructure Fund and consider new applications later this year when further rounds of State and Federal funding become available.

Lovett added "Like us, we know our community will be disappointed to hear that our Federal Government funding application wasn't successful.”

Lovett added that Council’s decision “not to pursue the State Government funding application does not mean we have abandoned this project – far from it – we remain committed to see this much-loved community asset restored and re-opened.”

Central Goldfields Shire Mayor Liesbeth Long said she supported Lovett’s concerns adding "$4 million is a lot of money to a small rural Council – to borrow this much money would mean we would be paying this off over 15 years. This really pushes our financial limits in an already constrained financial environment.

"Put simply it would mean we wouldn't have the funding we might need to support anything else in the community.

"We know our community has many different needs and priorities and to not have the funds to support anything else would be incredibly challenging – and in a lot of ways unfair.

"What we are asking Council officers to do next is to look at other funding streams when further rounds of State and Federal funding become available later in the year.

"We will continue to advocate to Federal and State governments for the funding we need to see the Maryborough Olympic Pool Complex restored and re-opened."

Image top: Credit: Bendigo Tourism; image above: Housed in an Art Deco building constructed in 1940, the 50 metre Olympic swimming pool is heritage listed