Sykes: Country action grant scheme for 2009

Source: Sykes Media - Jan 30

Regional sporting and recreational organisations have all been affected by the State’s economic downturn. Funding, through the 2009 Country Action Grant Scheme is now available for sporting groups throughout the Benalla Electorate. Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, urges sporting and clubs not to overlook this funding opportunity.

Dr Sykes said this Sport & Recreation Victoria round of funding is to be distributed in grants of up to $5,000 and aims to increase the capacity of sport and active recreation organisations in regional and rural Victoria.

Types of projects to be funded include:

• Initiatives to improve the operational effectiveness and efficiency of organisations eg. Preparation of a business plan, development of policy and procedure manuals or websites and incorporation of a new organisation.

• Initiatives to improve the skills of club members through providing training for coaches and officials, administrative staff and management committee members eg. Participation in coaching or umpiring accreditation courses, first aid, workshops for committee members in financial management or information technology.

• Initiatives to increase community participation by providing accessible sport and active recreation opportunities eg. Sessions of sport or active recreation for older adults, young mothers or people with a disability.

For projects planned to commence between 1 July 2009 – 31 December 2009 the applications close on 16 April 2009.

Applications can be lodged on-line, via email, fax or post with applications being received by Thursday, 16 April 2009 will be considered for the second assessment phase for 2009.

Further details are available from the grant information line at The Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) free call 1300 366 356 or via their web site on www.dvc.vic.gov.au/grants or by contacting Peta Clark at Bill Sykes’ office ph: 5762 2100.

Inquiry into shared government and community facilities

Source: Bill Sykes Media Release - 23 Jan 09

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes has welcomed a new inquiry to look at the potential for increased sharing of government and community facilities across Victoria, however warns outcomes must not be at the expense of legitimate infrastructure developments.

“While I support and encourage the practice of multiuse facilities the implementation of such practices must not come at the expense of under resourcing justifiable new developments and initiatives,” Bill Sykes said.

The scope of the inquiry is to focus on the sharing of physical assets, including land. Public, government and community facilities could include school libraries, sport and recreation facilities, resource and technology centres, performing arts spaces, residential precincts and civic, health and child care centres. Part of the aim of the inquiry is to identify options to allow for increased sharing of facilities and to develop partnerships between facility owners, managers, operators, service providers and community groups.

“I recognise sharing government and community facilities can achieve beneficial social outcomes in rural areas, and in some cases provide valuable services for under resourced centres, however it is essential the practice of multi use facilities addresses and recognises the needs of individual interest groups,” Bill Sykes said.

The Victorian Competition & Efficiency Commission inquiry (VCEC) recognises the potential for the scheme to reduce the cost of developing and maintaining buildings and providing services and in addition that possible savings could be directed to other programs and initiatives.

“In principle I agree with this view,” Bill Sykes said, “but it is essential the sharing of government and community facilities does not become an excuse to under resource rural centres.”

The inquiry will consult with key interest groups and affected parties and a possibility of public hearings in the future.

The VCEC has released an issues paper to assist interested parties wishing to participate in the inquiry. To view the Issues Paper, register interest or lodge a submission go to www.vcec.vic.gov.au or contact the Victorian Competition & Efficiency Commission at sharedfacilities@vcec.vic.gov.au. Submissions are invited by 27 February 2009.

Wangaratta’s punt on AFL dream

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle 13.08.08

Council kicks on with plan to make showgrounds ‘elite’ sport precinct

Written by Philip Nolan.

THE plan to upgrade the Wangaratta Showgrounds to a multi-million dollar "elite" sporting facility is gathering pace.

A preliminary scoping study of what will be required is well under way, and initial talks have already been held with the Australian Football League to ascertain its requirements.

The Rural City of Wangaratta hopes to establish a premier regional sporting precinct at the showgrounds, with a view to regularly winning both Ovens and Murray Football League grand finals and also AFL pre-season matches.

This will be in addition to major cricket and other sporting fixtures.

However, a key component of the plan will be the removal of the existing cycling track around the oval, which has obvious implications for the Wangaratta Cycling Club and the Australia Day sports carnival.

Rural city chief executive officer, Doug Sharp, in confirming the progress on the project, said the council was "acutely aware" of the impact that the removal of the cycle track could have.

"We will be consulting very comprehensively with both the sports carnival committee and the cycle club to look at all options," he said.

"We are keen to know what the carnival committee feels about the future of the event, and equally, to establish what are the needs of the cycling club.

"They have both been, and continue to be, much valued organisations in the city."

Mr Sharp said the preliminary scoping study had already identified four key areas that need to be addressed to establish the showgrounds as "an elite facility and centre of sporting excellence".

"The lighting needs to be upgraded to AFL standard, a new multi-purpose facility is required, the viewing embankment needs to be enlarged, particularly along the river side, and the future of the existing cycling track must be looked at," he said.

"They are all big issues, and we are talking a multi-million dollar project, so it requires a lot of careful planning to get it right.

"Of course the whole project will depend of what funding would be available, and we would be looking at both government and AFL funding support, as well as the council’s contribution."

Mr Sharp said preliminary discussions had already been held with the AFL through Football Victoria, and the outcome was "encouraging".

"As a council we are very keen to make this happen. It has been identified as a major need for Wangaratta going forward and we look forward to seeing it develop," he said.

Mathew Kiely injured in football match

Source: The Chronicle 25/07/08 ... archived 27/07/08

Shocking injury set to sideline Kiely for at least 18 months

Written by SCOTT ANDERSON.

KING Valley footballer Matt Kiely should be celebrating his 23rd birthday today.

Instead he will be resting at home, with the aid of painkillers, after suffering a shocking injury last weekend.

The Roos’ biggest win of the season was soured when the star midfielder was carried from the ground with a badly broken arm just minutes before his side recorded a stunning 33-point win over Milawa.

Kiely, who was named best on ground in the match, was injured when he landed heavily after being tackled in the dying stages of the final term.

At first it was thought he had dislocated his right shoulder, but after being taken to hospital in Wangaratta, x-rays revealed shocking damage to Kiely’s humerus and shoulder joint.

"I’m not sure exactly what happened, but it snapped the end off my shoulder - the ball at the top of my arm," he said.

"I think I half got slung to the ground, and I don’t know if I just landed badly or someone fell on top of me or what.

"I got taken into the rooms, but they knew it was really bad - I was in a fair bit of agony, and they rushed me to hospital as quick as they could.

"When they did the x-rays there was a lot of damage."

Surgeons operated on Kiely’s shoulder and arm on Saturday night, inserting a metal plate and pins to rejoin the fractured bone.

He was scheduled to leave hospital on Tuesday, until further x-rays revealed bone fragments and damage that had previously gone unseen.

The surgeons were called back in for a secondary operation, leaving him hospitalised until yesterday afternoon.

Kiely, who has a three-month-old daughter, now faces at least 18 months out of football, and a significant period of rehabilitation before he will be able to resume work as a fencer.

"They have to leave the plate and pins in there for about a year, then we’ll just have to wait and see after that.

"I won’t be able to play football next year, and whether or not I can play the following year just depends how well it all heals," he said.