Big ticket items were mentioned in Campaspe Shire’s February 17 council meeting as part of an acknowledgement quarterly update into the capital works projects.
The Wilf Cox upgrades were included in chamber chatter discussing the ongoing works around the shire, with Cr Zoe Cook saying it was good to see significant changes happening around across the region.
While there isn’t the typical banging and whirring sounds of a construction site down at Unwin St, progress is still being made on the pavilion.
When the Free Press was down at the site recently, works were being done on the back of the building.
Internal demolition is complete, with new foyer concrete slab and steel framing installed.
Main steelwork and columns are now in place for the umpire change rooms, home toilets and shower block.
Upstairs, the metal framing and plumbing works for the new male and female toilets are also complete.
Up next in the works will be installation of new roof sheets in the front foyer and balcony area, new external doors and windows, and a ramp installed to the front of the main change room area.
The first stage of the Wilf Cox Reserve upgrades is worth $3.2 million and aims to create female change rooms and accessibility improvements to the pavilion, supported by a $1 million Victorian Government grant promoting equity and inclusion.
The fences first went up around the site in August last year and are expected to come down in August in line with the projected 12-month timeline.
However, Wilf Cox is far from complete, with council’s announcement of a second stage of development and community consultation already completed as of late last year.
As for where the rest of the region’s capital work projects are up to, the following are in the construction phase over the next few months: Kyvalley Hall toilet and entry renewal, Kyabram South Boundary Rd drainage upgrades, and Kyabram Kindergarten renewal.
Near-completion projects include the Rushworth Senior Citizens building renewal, alongside shire-wide improvements to pool facilities, sports scoreboards, bench seats, road resealing, footpaths and gravel road maintenance.
Cr Paul Jarman said the acknowledgement of the quarterly capital works report marked the halfway mark for council’s budget.
“Ultimately, the capital works is our promise to the community that when we take the rate money to deliver to the community … and by and large do a great job” Cr Jarman said.
“We obviously have some things that we have to work harder on, but this council at the moment, I’m very proud of it.
“The very symbol that the capital works program represents is infrastructure and facilities for our community.”
