Council is ready to build facility

Construction of a $2.6 million recreation facility at Umina oval is "ready to go" once Gosford Council receives confirmation from the Federal Government's Regional and Local Community Infrastructure grant program.

Gosford mayor Cr Chris Holstein said he was hopeful the project would be backed by the Federal Government following the announcement of an additional $500 million to the grant program.

"Seven-hundred councils were bidding for a minimum $2 million to cost projects from an initial total of $50 million.

"That has now increased by $500 million.

"The good news in that is the Umina project is even more likely to get up.

"The Umina project is ready to go and has other state and council funding that would see a project with a total value of $2.6 million."

According to Cr Holstein, the Umina Recreation Area proposed for the Peninsula would have significant social and economic benefits to the community.

He said the Umina project far outweighed other projects in the Gosford LGA proposed to be nominated for the grant program, including a marine discovery centre at Terrigal.

"The professional staff at council accessed several projects under the criteria as set out by the Federal Government for the grant," Cr Chris Holstein said.

"Only one grant could be applied for.

"The staff's assessment was to ensure that the project we would bid for had the best chance of success.

"That report was presented to the councillors, with Umina far out weighing the others.

"Bottom line, we went for the project that was best placed to get the funding.

"The only thing the Umina project lacked was a letter of support from the federal member."

The $550 million Regional and Local Community Infrastructure grant program is part of the Federal Government's $42 billion Nation Builders Package.

Applications for funding closed on March 6.

Email, 9 Mar 2009 Cr Chris Holstein, mayor of Gosford Council agenda CIT.12, 3 Mar 2009