CLOSE to $130,000 of total funding will be allocated across 22 community groups in the Alpine Shire after council last week confirmed recipients of its 2024/25 Community Grants Program.

Coinciding with the Community Grants Program was the one-off Kiewa Valley Flood and Landslip Grant Program to support the community to recover from the impacts of the 2022 floods and Bogong High Plains Road landslip.

A total of 37 applications between the two programs were assessed based on the degree of benefit to the community, sustainability of the project, community impact and geographical spread.

Ovens Valley United Cricket Club were one of the recipients of the program’s funding, set to be given all $8957 of requested funding for a new wicket and carpet at Memorial Oval.

Club president Tom Chettleburgh said he was rapt to hear council had granted to partly fund the replacement of the pitch.

“We want to continue improving our facilities and our club, we cater for a large demographic and we need to cater for developing our juniors and getting the best out of our performance on the field,” he said.

“We have sub-par training facilities at the moment with just two nets, so to have a new surface in the middle it will give us a more flexible training structure.”

The Myrtleford-based pitch plays host to the Tiger’s B, C and junior grade competition on weekends as well as serving as its training headquarters throughout the summer.

Mr Chettleburgh said the team played on the ground considerably more last season than previous seasons, which highlighted flaws with the wicket, including its unregulated size.

“The pitch on there now is an old-style pitch, it’s too narrow and it’s not long enough,” he said.

“If you don’t have something like that to spec you become liable to things like injuries.

“When the pitch was first put in, we don’t believe it was done properly and it sunk, so water pools on it and it makes it very unpleasant.”

The rest of the $20,592 project would be paid for with the acceptance of a separate grant.

Mr Chettleburgh said the project also included resurfacing the wickets in their nets.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we broke dirt in the next two to three weeks, as long as the weather stays dry,” he said.

Other major project recipients included Bright Tennis Club ($9600 for pickleball courts), Tawonga and District Community Association ($9380 for improvements in Tawonga Pioneer Memorial Park) and Bright P-12 College ($10,347 for Bright P-12 Greenhouse).

At last week’s meeting, Mayor John Forsyth said council acquitted funding “exceptionally well” to meet the requested funding of the community projects.

2024/25 COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM

• Alpine Multi Skill Group $4500 for workshop

• Bright Croquet Club Inc. $2030 for 120th anniversary celebrations

• Dederang Bowls Club Inc. $7260 to upgrade bowls green lighting Ovens Valley

• Canine Club Training $1470 for equipment renewal

• Bright District U3A Inc $5300 for bridge games

• Tawonga & District Community Association $9380 for Pioneer Memorial Park

• Bright Food Co-op Ltd $4095 for refrigeration for fresh local produce

• Ovens Valley United Cricket Club Inc $8957 for new wicket and carpet

• Bright Tennis Club INC $9600 for Pickleball courts

• Bright P12 College $10,347 for Bright P12 greenhouse

• Myrtleford Golf Club Inc $3787 for enhancement of clubrooms

• Harrietville Hall committee of management $4971 for a rangewood

• Gundowring Hall & Reserve committee of management $4000 for outdoor fire pit and trees

• Sustainable Upper Ovens Inc $2013 for community resource website

LANDSLIP GRANT FUNDING

• Mountain Monk Brewers $10,000 for Oktoberfest & Dachshund Derby

• Tawonga & District Community Association $9900 for 180 years celebration

• Dederang Picnic Race Club $10,000 for public toilet upgrades

• Mount Beauty United Cricket Club $3221 for gala day

• Mount Beauty Art Group Inc $4767 for installation of picture rail

• Alpine Valleys Dairy Inc. $4310 for dairy dinner

• Mount Beauty Neighbourhood Centre Inc. $5750 fo community lunches

• Mount Beauty Art Group Inc. $2711 for art workshop