News & Media

17 July 2012 Funding For Geraldton Turf Club Upgrade

Racegoers in the Mid-West can look forward to an infrastructure upgrade at the Geraldton Turf Club (GTC) following the announcement of funding through the Racecourse Infrastructure Grants Program (RIGP) and Royalties for Regions.

Racing and Gaming Minister Terry Waldron said the GTC would build two new toilet blocks, including a disabled toilet, and renovate the patron service kitchen with the funding.

"To enhance the public amenity the three structures will be connected by breezeways and patios will be added, and there will also be some landscaping with all roads being kerbed and asphalted," Mr Waldron said.

The current kitchen facility sits within a converted shed and is more than 40 years old. It fails a number of basic health tests and the local city council will not allow its future operation as a kitchen.

Funding assistance comprising 45 per cent of the total project cost has been approved by the Mid West Development Commission through the Royalties for Regions program and Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls said the funding would benefit the wider Mid-West.

"Both facilities will not only support racegoers but also assist the club in attracting more groups to use the racecourse," Mr Grylls said.

Mr Waldron said the latest round of RIGP funding would also see improvements to the Norseman and West Kimberley turf clubs and the East Pilbara and Kununurra race clubs.

"The East Pilbara Race Club and the Norseman and West Kimberley turf clubs will get outside safety rails installed and the Kununurra Race Club will now have separate male and female air conditioned jockeys’ rooms," he said.

Fact File

• Funding includes RIGP that has provided 80 grants of $5.8m
• RIGP has now helped fund projects worth $10.3m across the State