OPPOSITION spokesman for Regional Communications, Youth and Sport Luke Hartsuyker supports Dubbo City Council’s application to the Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF) for a Barden Park upgrade.
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In town to hold discussions on matters with Member for Parkes Mark Coulton, he was taken to the oval with Mayor Mathew Dickerson and shown its potential.
“This is a great project, it’s vitally important we encourage young sports people, and kids become more engaged in school work when they’re actively participating in sport too,” he said.
DCC are trying to get federal funding for a proposed $5 million project, which would include a synthetic track, grandstand and storage facilities.
“Kids from surrounding towns will have benefit of a first class athletics track in the region with this proposal, so they can train somewhere to make them competitive,” Mr Coulton said.
After missing out on the first round of the RDAF, the body gave Cr Dickerson and Mr Coulton some suggestions for changes.
“This time we’ve asked for $2.5 million from the federal government because $2 million has been promised from the state government if we get federal funding, and DCC will put in $500,000,” Cr Dickerson said. Mr Coulton was less impressed with the results on the back of the first round delivering no western NSW funding.
“How you could say $7 million to an art gallery in Newcastle is going to build regional Australia is beyond belief to me.
“I hope there’s a proper focus on regional Australia now, on wonderful but unconsidered projects like the radio arena at Coonamble and Opal and Fossil Centre at Lightning Ridge that had a lot of innovative thought,” he said.
As second round expressions of interest are now closed, the three anxiously wait until May when recipients are announced.