The recent announcement by the Hon John Watkins, the NSW Minister for Sport and Recreation, that he had approved a grant of $290,000 towards the construction of a new Multi-Purpose School Hall and Indoor Sports Centre at the Braidwood Central School means that funding of $761,538 is available towards the construction of the facility.
It is also proposed to incorporate a Child and Family Resource Centre in the facility.
An amount of $684,070 is available in the form of cash comprising $300,000 from the Department of Education and Training, $290,000 from the Department of Sport and Recreation, $50,000 from Tallaganda Shire Council, $30,000 from the Braidwood Central School P&C, $10,000 from the Braidwood Apex Club and an amount of $4070 contributed by businesses, organisations and individuals.
In addition, the sum of $77,468 has been provided by individuals, businesses and community organisations in the form of 'in-kind' support and voluntary labour.
In the initial stages, with only a commitment from the State Government of $300,000 and the Department of Education and Training not accepting matching contributions from other State Government Departments, the project appeared a 'pipe-dream'. The change of attitude by the Minister for Education as a result of Council's lobbying efforts regarding the source of matching contributions, and the subsequent giant by the Department of Sport and Recreation, makes the project now appear a reality.
As a consequence, Council, at its meeting held on April 23 2001, resolved to agree to work commencing on a project design and estimate in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training. A standard design does exist for what is termed a "gymnasium" and this could serve as the basis for the local design.
Council is anxious that a community consultation process take place as part of the design process to ensure the community's needs are satisfactorily met. A community meeting will be convened in the next few months and will be publicised in the Tallaganda Times.
Once the design and estimates are prepared, and if they exceed available funds, it is proposed to make an application for any shortfall in funds to the Federal Government under their Regional Solutions Program. Preliminary indications from the Department administering the program to an Expression of Interest were quite favourable.
Council, the Braidwood Central School and Steering Committee overseeing the project are most appreciative of the community support for the project. Without the level of community support that was shown for the hall, the application for financial assistance to the Department of Sport and Recreation, and the project itself, would have stood no chance of success.
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