THE Mitchell Shire Council (MSC) will make three applications to Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund to provide Chittick Park with much-needed upgrades, saying it would take pressure off the Kings Park precinct.
Council endorsed the submission of applications for an $800,000 multipurpose court and cricket nets, provided with a Council contribution of $300,000; a $400,000 lighting project, with Council providing $150,000, and a $50,000 play space plan, with Council contributing $12,500.
In moving the motion, Councillor Timothy Hanson said it was an area Council needed to address for Seymour.
“These projects will provide real benefits to the Seymour community if the funding application is successful. They are much-needed upgrades,” he said.
“I’d also like to acknowledge the further end of Seymour at Kings Park will have a masterplan undertaken in the near future, and I welcome that, particularly as it provides the opportunity to consider all of Seymour.”
The plan was also backed by Cr Andrea Pace.
“This is work that is desperately needed at Chittick Park. Some of the equipment is not up to standard, can’t be used. This will, if successful, help open up that precinct totally and take some of the pressure off Kings Park. Fingers crossed we can get it across the line,” she said.
However, the plan did not have full support, with Cr Bob Humm saying the borrowings did not meet Council expectation, while also keeping an eye on future developments for Kilmore sporting precincts.
“This motion basically is a $462,500 financial contribution from the Council, and it all comes out of borrowings. In other words, we’re borrowing $462,000, and I look at the growth that’s going on up around Seymour, I look at the growth that’s going on down around the south and the growth that’s happening in the centre,” he said.
“I find it hard to support something that’s, again, $462,000, I know that it keeps below, supposedly, where our borrowings can be, but I hate something to come up that we desperately need to get some money to get something happening.”
Cr Nathan Clark said while Cr Humm made good points, the borrowings did add up in an advantageous way for Council.
“Councillor Humm raises a good point about investment that’s required in the centre of the Shire, there are some shortfalls there that’s evident by the oversubscription of clubs in the centre part, so not just Kilmore, but Wandong as well,” he said.
“But the planning and what’s planned for Kilmore is a bit in the future, not immediately in the 2026/27 financial year, which is what this addresses.
“I noted that it is borrowings, but we end up with a reasonably good ratio here for every three Sport and Recreation Victoria dollars we get, only one dollar of local council money is required. I see this as a reasonably good multiplier that we get should we be successful, so I support this.”
The motion was carried, seven votes to one.
