Making it happen: The mayor Cr Bryan Payne joined sports minister John Eren, Western Port Basketball Association president George Yerondais, association members and members of Mornington Peninsula Badminton at the Somerville Recreation Centre rebuild announcement. Picture: Supplied
A $1.3 MILLION grant from Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Better Indoor Stadiums Fund will help rebuild the Somerville stadium destroyed by fire in May last year.
Sport, tourism and major events minister John Eren was last week joined at the site by Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Bryan Payne and representatives of Western Port Basketball Association and Mornington Peninsula Badminton.
The shire has always said it had adequate insurance in place to rebuild the facility on a “like for like” basis, but that the focus had been on securing additional money for extra courts.
“Council confirmed at its August meeting that, should the grant application be successful, it would commit up to $3 million in the 2018-19 financial year budget to meet the grant funding requirements,” Cr Payne said.
“The allocation of this grant will enable council to ensure the stadium and community facilities are updated to modern standards and expanded where possible.”
The shire advertised its application for a planning permit in August, and called for tenders for the construction of the building in October. It is planning for four courts – up from two – and is due to make a decision on the final scope of the project soon.
Tenders are expected to be announced before Christmas, with construction to start in January.
