Community Safety Grant provides security boost to Natimuk Showgrounds

Published on 19 November 2020

The Committee of Management of the Natimuk Showgrounds has been funded $154,309 by the Victorian Government’s Community Crime Prevention Program.

The Community Safety Infrastructure Grants program provides Victorian councils and community organisations with funding of up to $500,000 to strengthen community safety, security and confidence in public places and support local economic activity.

Successful projects must have a primary focus on strengthening public safety and security infrastructure to help prevent crime and improve perceptions of safety using situational or environmental approaches.

For Natimuk Showgrounds, this means the redevelopment of the tennis courts into a multi-purpose facility.

“When netball finishes tennis starts, and that enhances the safety of the site as it will be used all year round,” explains Judith Bysouth, Secretery Natimuk Agricultural and Pastoral Society.

The grant will also see security upgrades at the site including the installation of a new main gate at the east end of the showgrounds site, and new secure gates near the Mens Shed and Poultry Shed. 

Safety works at the site also extend to bollards for pedestrian safety and the upgrading of existing security lighting across the showgrounds many buildings.

“The main purpose is greater security and confidence in the facilities”, says Ms Bysouth.

“It’s all user groups working together; the tennis club, the football and netball club, the Agricultural and Pastoral Society, the Mens Shed and the Historical Society.”

This is one of 31 projects funded under the Community Safety Infrastructure Fund which awarded more than $5.6 million to 14 community organisations and 17 councils.

Horsham Rural City Council congratulates the Natimuk Showgrounds Committee of Management for developing this project for the Natimuk community.