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Council helps groups overcome COVID-19 restrictions

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Published
2nd July 2020

Local community and sporting clubs shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions will benefit from $54,000 in grants from the Fraser Coast Regional Council.

“The coronavirus restrictions had a major impact on our community groups and sporting clubs,” Councillor Phil Truscott said.

“These clubs are the backbone of our community and in many cases the cancellation of their events was a double blow as they had invested funds in organising the events, and then lost the income they needed to pay for the events.

“The lack of funds could have put their operations at risk, and had a flow-on affect as many charities and programs that they supported were also facing a funding shortfall.

“We hope that the assistance Council is providing, along with other levels of government, will go some way towards helping these community and sporting groups get back on their feet.”

Council will also provide grants of $10,000 each to the Wide Bay Motor Complex Inc and Wide Bay Rowing Club to engage professional assistance to develop plans for future facility upgrades.

The successful grants include:

  • Rugby League Fraser Coast; to develop playing surfaces and player amenities to Super Intrust requirements, $2,877.83;
  • Hervey Bay Rugby League Football Club: Incurred costs for field preparation for fixture events that will now all have to be repeated if the season does commence as proposed in July 2020, $3,015;
  • Maryborough BMX Club: Facility closure has resulted in lost income but daily operating expenses are still being incurred, $3,211.
  • Fraser Coast Agriculture Show Society: Event cancellation resulted in incurred expenses that cannot be refunded and no opportunity to recoup expenses; $10,000;
  • Hervey Bay Hockey Association: Cancelled sporting event resulted in non-refundable accommodation booking expense for U18 girls representative team, $1,974;
  • Granville Football Club: Cancellation of activities has resulted in incurred expenses for perishable goods that cannot be returned, $2,983.17;
  • The Bay Break: Event cancellation has resulted in incurred expenses that cannot be refunded and no opportunity to recoup expenses, $10,000;

A further round of grants will be opened to assist groups affected by Covid-19 restrictions.

“Council has allocated $1 million in the 20/21 budget to undertake further programs to stimulate the economy and help clubs and groups affected by Covid-19 restrictions,” he said.