By KATH GANNAWAY
ALMOST half a million dollars will flow into Upper Yarra if a Tony Abbott-led Coalition government is elected on 7 September.
Casey Liberal MP Tony Smith made funding promises last week which would see schools, sporting clubs and Yarra Junction traders benefit from a change of government.
The Warburton Trail would also benefit from inclusion in the first wave of Green Army projects with a team of nine trainees deployed along the popular rail trail to carry out maintenance, weed control and drainage works.
The biggest winners would be Woori Yallock and Launching Place primary schools with $220,000 and $160,000 promised to upgrade their car parks and drop-off zones.
Also on the table is $50,000 for CCTV security cameras in Yarra Junction, $50,000 for an upgrade to the Yarra Junction Football Netball Club facilities and $10,000 for new goal posts at Warburton Football Netball Club.
Making the announcements Mr Smith said the projects reflected concerns raised with him as the local member and which had the support of Yarra Ranges Council.
He said both schools had advocated strongly for the much-needed works which he said had been costed and confirmed with the council.
The $50,000 would be matched with a $50,000 council contribution to provide storage, a gym and first aid facilities.
While no figure has been put on the Green Army pledge, the six month program is seen as a significant investment being identified by Yarra Ranges Council as a priority project for the Casey electorate.
Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child accompanied Mr Smith for a number of the announcements and told the Mail all the projects are ‘shovel ready’.
He said the school car park projects had been costed and ready to go for some time but that funding then was not a council responsibility.
“The Department (State Government – Department of Education and Early Childhood Development) knocked both of them back and the fact that Tony Smith has decided to come on board is fantastic,” Cr Child said.
He said the CCTV security cameras was another project that had been driven by local traders and that council had budgeted $50,000 for it.
“You can’t go lobbying and not have the homework done,” he said in relation to the projects that had been earmarked for funding should the Coalition be elected.
“These are ready to go,” he said.
