Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall enjoys the shade in one of Ashford Showground’s portable grandstands with Ashford Showground Trust members Gilbert Fitzhannim, left, Roxanne Geach and Bill Irwin.
Monday, 29 August 2016
ASHFORD Showground’s ageing cut-out yards will be upgraded with the help of $8,800 in funding from the State Government, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall announced today.
Mr Marshall was at the showground recently to deliver the good news about the Public Reserves Management Fund grant and also look over the results of earlier work, enabled through the same program.
In successive years, the Ashford Showground Trust has been awarded $12,380 to add portable grandstands, $12,112 for shade sails and better livestock watering points and $12,000 to rebuild the old wooden yards and cattle loading ramp.
The new round of funding will allow the cut-out yards to be rebuilt in steel, to match the new main yards.
“These funds liberate a lot of time and hard work from the Ashford community to keep one of the town’s key assets in top condition,” Mr Marshall said.
“Each time I visit the grounds, I’m amazed at how much work and pride this little community has invested in the facility. It is a credit to everyone involved.”
The 2016/17 funding allocation from the Public Reserves Management Fund Program is part of an $18 million annual program of grants and loans from the NSW Government to support the development, maintenance and protection of the public reserves.
The Northern Tablelands gained more than $550,000 from this years’ fund for a range of community projects.
“Public reserves in our region such as sportsgrounds, showgrounds, community halls, walking tracks and local parks are valued places which are used by our local community every day,” Mr Marshall said.
“This funding is not only vital to the success of our regional communities, but also supports the role our professional and volunteer managers play in the ongoing management of the reserves.
“This funding will allow our local managers to now implement the improvements required to ensure these important places can continue to be enjoyed by our local community now and into the future.”