The Bellarine Bears Baseball Club has been awarded a $350,000 grant from the City of Greater Geelong to upgrade facilities at the Wallington Recreation Reserve.
The city is investing more than $4.9 million in community grants in 2021-22.
Deputy mayor Trent Sullivan said the funding would be used to upgrade the fields, fencing, dugouts, scorers’ box, and lighting at the reserve.
“We want Wallington Recreation Reserve to be a modern, fit-for-purpose sports facility,” he said.
“The new facilities will help the Bears to keep hitting home runs and attracting and retaining new members.”
In 2021 the Bellarine Bears fielded seven senior teams, three junior teams and a T-Ball program.
The Bellarine Bears Committee said it had been “trying for a long time to secure this funding”.
“As well as recent success and growth in our senior teams, the basis of our application has been on the advances made and implemented in inclusive practices such as the founding of our women’s team (now teams), the consistent support and growth of our juniors programs and the ongoing commitment from the volunteer committee,” it said.
“This funding will ensure that there is a much brighter (literally) future for the teeballers and juniors who are coming through the ranks and who will take over so we can watch the club go from strength to strength.”
Other grant recipients in the Bellarine Area included $35,300 to the Bellarine Woodworkers Inc, $15,100 to the Clifton Springs Tennis Club, $65,000 to the Leopold Tennis Club, $8500 to the Leopold Angling and Aquatic Club Inc, $26,100 to the Portarlington Cricket Club, and $11,300 to the Bellarine Catchment Management Network Incorporated.
The next round of community infrastructure grants is expected to open in mid-2022.
To keep updated visit geelongaustralia.com.au/grants.
