More than $500 million will be spent on the restoration and improvement of sporting clubs, including Graceville’s Western Districts Netball Association Club, and other Council assets as part of the 2022-23 Budget.
Western Districts Netball Association Club is among the eight Brisbane sporting clubs that are set to receive funding to assist in the recovery efforts from the impact of the February 2022 floods. Council has set aside a budget of $167,000 to go towards the rehabilitation of the club, particularly the installation of lighting replacement and resurfacing of its netball courts
Other clubs to receive support under the program include Valley Hockey Club, Sandgate Hawks Football Club and the Carrington Boating Club. A total of 106 sports fields have been assessed to have been damaged and impacted by the flood.
The 2022-23 Budget allocated $505 million to the impacted facilities and assets which also include 198 buildings; 285 kilometres of roads; 74 car parks; 292 playgrounds; 863 parks; three major bikeways; 42 public barbecues; some 4,200 streets, park and bikeway lights; 25 park toilets and four public pools.
About $180 million will be spent on these flood-damaged clubs and sporting fields whilst nearly $60 million will be spent for the repair of impacted bikeways and $53 for parks and playgrounds. Moreover, Brisbane’s ferry infrastructure will get repair funding of $27.6 million and almost $40 million will be allocated for road repairs.
Council will also continue to invest around $3 million a year towards the improvement of club facilities under the Better Suburbs Grants. This includes the $200,000 grant awarded last year to Algester Sports Club that went towards the club’s kitchen upgrade as well as the $150,000 funding received by the Bulimba Community Club for the improvement of their toilet facilities.
Council will also invest a record $131 million in drainage projects to further boost the city’s flood resilience.
Flood recovery funds will also be allocated for the following Council assets:
- $166.2 million for community clubs
- $12 million for pools
- $1.4 million other community venues
- $12.2 million for other river assets such as wharves, jetties and pontoons
- $54.7 million for sea and river walls
“This is not just a record spend but almost double our normal budget because we are determined to do what we can to limit the impact of flooding,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Brisbane is built on a flood plain so we are never going to be able to flood-proof our city but the prospect of more frequent flooding as a result of climate change means we must act.”
