Plan confirms sports funding not being used for sports pavilion
- Dale Webster
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
STATE Government Sports infrastructure funding is being used to build a shed that was always intended to house produce stall holders and retail market activities at the Bendigo showgrounds, a planning document from 2019 has confirmed.
The market shed is being built instead of a proposed multi-purpose sports pavilion that was to include changerooms, a function room, umpire rooms, toilets and kiosk on the opposite side of the arena in the equestrian precinct.
“This news has left me speechless,” Sue Foley, who ran the two-day Pony Club Victoria Team Championships involving more than 600 competitors and their families at the showgrounds for seven years, said.
“To think of all the years participants in our sport – predominantly women and girls – have been putting up with the shabby old toilet and shower block only to find out we could have finally had decent facilities but the sports money is being spent on non-sporting infrastructure.
“It’s just plain wrong.
“How is this even allowed to happen?”
The details are included in the closely guarded 2019 Bendigo Showgrounds Master Plan, which is not publicly available despite Development Victoria now running a major project for Sports and Recreation Victoria to redevelop the showgrounds.
The project has upset showgrounds stakeholders who only learnt of planned changes – including a significant reduction in the size of the main arena – during a consultation webinar on March 18.
At the same time, they were told all major works had already been put out to tender and were not up for negotiation.
The showgrounds redevelopment was among 16 projects the State Government allocated funding for under the Regional Sports Infrastructure Program in 2023.
There was no application process, with a State Government spokesman explaining that the projects were chosen on the basis of having been previously identified as priorities for regional Victoria.
In the case of the showgrounds project, the City of Greater Bendigo had presented the need for the work in its 2019 Bendigo Showgrounds Master Plan.
The plan states the "new market/multi-purpose pavilion and fresh food hall would include an indoor market hall/market events space, storage, cold storage and catering facilities and covered market stall spaces".
It would also have "an enclosed area that can be used for arts and crafts display during the show".
The siting of the market shed in the 2019 plan is the same as the “multi-purpose pavilion” in the current redevelopment plans.
The sports pavilion is not part of the redevelopment project.
The Minister for Sport, Steve Dimopoulos, has been asked to explain why the Regional Sports Infrastructure Program funding is being used to build the market shed instead of the sports pavilion.
His response will be published once received.
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UPDATE (April 13): On April 10 a response to the question sent to The Minister for Sport Steve Dimopoulos was received from an advisor. It did not address the question and was to be attributed to a Victorian Government spokesperson. The advisor was told that unless the statement could be attributed to Mr Dimopoulos it would be reported that he had not responded. The advisor said he would seek advice. Nothing has been heard since.
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Dale Webster was named the Walkley Foundation’s Freelance Journalist of the Year in 2022 and is also a Melbourne Press Club Quill Award winner.
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