Horsham Rural City Council has secured $2 million from the Victoria Government to build a multifunctional stage that will better connect City Oval with Sawyer Park.
The structure, to be built near the site of the existing main scoreboard, will be designed to host major outdoor events at City Oval.
It will address a gap in Horsham’s ability to hold large outdoor events due to a lack of suitable infrastructure.
For example, the Soundshell at Sawyer Park cannot host modern music festivals because it has a limited capacity for patrons and performers and is more than 40 years old.
However the new stage will meet contemporary sound and lighting needs and will be able to host up to 8,000 people. With an incorporated broadcast box, demountable digital screen and a food and beverage outlet, it will also benefit local sports competitions on matchdays.
Council will initially target the scheduling of two large events in the first year of operation, increasing tourism numbers by up to 15,000 people which would create an estimated $5 million boost to the Wimmera economy.
The $3 million project will also see Hocking Street, which currently divides the zones, redesigned to allow it to adapt into a space exclusively for crowds when required.
The City Oval/Sawyer Park redevelopment project is one of seven precincts included in the City to River Masterplan, and is the second to progress after work started on the riverfront precinct in 2021.
A 12-person Community Reference Group was appointed in late 2020 and used a combination of pre-existing ideas for the area along with feedback gathered through the City to River Masterplan to come up with its detailed proposal.
Wednesday’s Victorian Government contribution, delivered via the Regional Tourism Investment Fund, is the first external funding commitment for the broader City Oval/Sawyer Park precinct.
HRCC will seek further money from state and federal governments for projects such as a new community facility with change rooms, new netball facilities including two netball courts and change rooms, and the expansion of the City Oval playing field.
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO MAYOR ROBYN GULLINE
“On behalf of the community, I would like to thank the Victorian Government for its support and commitment to the liveability and activation of our regional city.”
“These improvements will benefit our community now and for generations.”
“We sincerely appreciate the commitment shown by the members of the Community Reference Group and thank them for their contribution.”
