Million-dollar boost for showground upgrades

Narrabri Showground has received an almost million-dollar boost to continue upgrading facilities at one of the town’s most-used spaces.

The NSW government will fund $979,000 in projects that will continue the transformation work at the site.

Among the works to take place include demolition and rebuilding of the horticulture pavilion, construction of a new cattle pavilion, additional disabled toilets, new arena lighting as well as other maintenance and upgrade works.

Minister for Water, Property and Housing, Melinda Pavey, visited the showgrounds last week to deliver the good news.

“This brings the government’s total recent investments in Narrabri Showground to more than $1.95 million,” she said.

When visiting the site, Mrs Pavey was given a tour of the state-of-the-art kitchen installed at the main pavilion.

Chairman of the Narrabri Showground Land Manager Board, Bill Wood, said the organisation is grateful to the NSW state government for providing the funding.

“It will assist in our efforts of continual improvements of the grounds,” he said.

“As a board, we have been working hard with the ground users to identify the areas that needed improvement, and through identifying these and sourcing quotes for the work to be undertaken, we have found ourselves ready to lodge applications for funding as it has become available.”

“This latest allocation of funding through the ‘COVID-19 Showground Stimulus Funding Program – Phase 2B’ will see some significant work be undertaken and it will not only benefit the users of the grounds through the end product of the new and upgraded infrastructure, but it will also benefit the local economy as we engage local contractors to undertake the majority of the work,” Mr Wood said.

Previous upgrades at the showground have included a new caretaker’s house, showers and grandstand seating, installation of a new pavilion kitchen, works on the main arena as well as other projects.

Narrabri Showground previously received $460,154 through the showground stimulus program, $355,001 is the showground safety upgrade program and $163,481 from the Stronger Communities Fund.

Mrs Pavey was joined by some of the various user groups which utilise the showground facilities for their activities to celebrate the funding announcement.

“These investments are improving the safety and quality of showground infrastructure while stimulating local economies with work for tradies and materials suppliers,” she said.