New Goroke community asset officially open

Published on 21 October 2022

A $2 million new community facility has officially opened at Goroke.

Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Danielle Green officially opened the new Goroke Recreation Pavilion and Changeroom Facility on Friday.

Construction of the new pavilion started in April 2021 and was completed last month.

The new building includes four home and away player change rooms for netball, tennis, and football, as well as umpire changes rooms, a gym, public toilets, a social room and a kitchen.

West Wimmera Shire Council received $1.755 million from Sports and Recreation Victoria for the project.

Council contributed $50,000 and the Goroke community contributed $145,000.

Mayor Bruce Meyer thanked the state government for its major contribution to the project.

“Funding such as this means that for small communities, like Goroke, dreams can become reality,” he said.

“I would also like to recognise the Goroke community for working hard to get this new pavilion up and running.

“This is their project, we just helped make it happen.”

The new building will cater for football, netball, tennis, and cricket. There are also moves to get rugby up and running in the town.

“This facility will help keep sports running in Goroke,” Cr Meyer said.

“Without important upgrades to community facilities, such as this new venue at Goroke, sport in small towns is under threat.”

The $2-million project came in under budget, and the extra money was used to purchase tables and chairs, and air-conditioning for the building and do landscaping works outside.

Ms Green opened the pavilion on behalf of the Minister for Community Sport.

Community members also attended the opening, including the building’s steering committee and students from Goroke P-12 College.

Goroke Recreation Reserve Committee of Management president Nick Gabbé also spoke at the opening.

He said the committee had been working since 2011 to get this project off the ground.

Goroke Apex Club recently donated $30,000 to the recreation reserve committee, which will be used for further upgrades at the reserve.

Council Chief Executive Officer David Bezuidenhout said it was great to see this important community asset now open.

“This investment into the community will ensure that Goroke maintains a presence in the regional sporting leagues and associations,” he said.