FOOTBALL and cricket players at two Wyndham ovals can look forward to their hard-baked, drought-affected grounds being upgraded with new grass, thanks to a State Government grant.
Wyndham City Council will receive an extra $40,000 to support sports facilities from the Drought Relief for Community Sport and Recreation Program.
The money will fund planting of warm season drought-resistant grasses at the Price Reserve Oval, Werribee South, used by the Werribee Amateur Football Club and the Werribee South Cricket Club; and the Dunnings Rd Oval, Point Cook, used by the Point Cook Football and Cricket Clubs.
Member for Tarneit, Tim Pallas, said the grant was part of the $4.7 million relief package for drought-affected sporting facilities announced by the Premier Steve Bracks and the Minister for Sport, Recreation and Youth Affairs, James Merlino, recently.
It comes on top of $50,000 the Wyndham Council has already received from the package.
“The program is designed to help local councils keep sporting facilities open and implement water saving projects which will provide long-term reductions in water use by sporting grounds,” Mr Pallas said.
“These projects are about supporting sport at the grassroots level, to encourage active participation in sport and the local community.”
Many sporting clubs are finding it difficult to sustain playing surfaces for training and competition becasue of the drought.
