On Friday 7 May, Mayor Cr Helena Kirby joined Michaela Settle MP, Member for Buninyong, for an exciting announcement to fully fund the Ross Creek Play and Active Rec Upgrade.
The $550,00 project will deliver a new playground, fitness equipment for adults, new barbeque and picnic facilities, and expanded walking trails at Ross Creek Recreation Reserve.
The announcement was made to an excited group of Woady Yaloak – Ross Creek campus students and their Head of Campus Nathan Harris; as well as local volunteers, Ross Creek/Smythes Creek Community Coordinators Cathy Bushell and Suzanne Ryan-Evers, and Ross Creek Recreation Reserve Committee Vice-President Paul Ryan.
Mayor Cr Helena Kirby says the original project to replace the ageing playground at the local reserve was expanded to encompass active recreation with the commitment from the Victorian Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund.
“Golden Plains Shire Council is very pleased to partner with the Victorian Government to deliver the Ross Creek Play and Active Rec Upgrade for children and families in our growing townships of Ross Creek and Smythes Creek.”
“This project began as a new playground and, thanks to significant funding support from the Growing Suburbs Fund, has been expanded to include walking trails, fitness equipment and barbeque and picnic facilities, making the Ross Creek Recreation Reserve a destination for families in the north of Golden Plains Shire.”
Quotes attributable to Michaela Settle Member for Buninyong:
“After lobbying I’m delighted that the Growing Suburbs Fund was expanded last year to include peri-urban councils so growing communities in rural communities like Ross Creek can be supported.”
“The $550,000 project will help transform Ross Creek recreational reserve with new playground, exercise stations, walking trail and barbeque.”
“Ross Creek is a great place to live and upgrading the recreation reserve will be great for families, students at Woady Yaloak, younger children and everyone in the community.”
The Ross Creek Play and Active Rec Upgrade is funded by $450,000 from the Victorian Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund and $100,000 from Council. This is the second round of Growing Suburbs Fund support for Golden Plains Shire, following Council’s admission to the program after significant lobbying efforts and last year’s commitment to the Golden Plains Youth Hub.
Since its establishment in 2015, the Growing Suburbs Fund has facilitated $913.2 million in local infrastructure, created more than 8,880 jobs and supported 253 projects across the fastest peri-urban growth areas in Victoria.