Thirteen groups have applied for grants in the inaugural Maitland My Community Project program. Maitland residents can vote to decide which they believe will be most beneficial to our community. To cast your vote, visit mycommunityproject.service.nsw.gov.au/ before August 15. Here are the 13 projects.
Multipurpose Sports Court
Lochinvar Public School P&C Committee
A multipurpose court on the school grounds that can be used for netball, basketball, tennis and other activities.
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Lochinvar is set to rapidly expand over the next couple of years with major housing developments. Lochinvar Public School and the community will benefit from having a brand new multipurpose court. There are no other facilities like this anywhere in Lochinvar.
The benefit to the community can come in the form of after school activities and after school training or courses. Also, a benefit would be seeing the children and adults became more active and healthier.
Cost: $122,355
Amenities Block
Maitland District Motorcycle Club
An amenity block to include disabled facilities, more toilets and showers for athletes and spectators.
The project will enable people with disabilities to enjoy the motocross. The athletes will have access to showers as motocross is a very dusty and muddy sport. The club will also be able to host more major events including Australian Motocross National Title Rounds. These major events will have a huge impact on local economy and socially this will bring another form of entertainment to community.
Having these amenities makes the club more appealing for event organisers to choose Maitland. Having facilities to accommodate visitors with disabilities will help them attend comfortably. Economically, the club has data from event organisers that this would inject approximately $300,000-$350,000 into the community. Athletes and visitors come from all over Australia for the weekend of racing, hopefully staying longer to tour Maitland and the Hunter Valley.
Cost: $198,535
Repairing and Leveling hall
Girl Guides Association of NSW
Repairing and leveling the guide hall creates a safer place for guides, Lladers and local community to enjoy the amenities.
The 60-year-old brick piers have been determined to be non-compliant in terms of work, health and safety. The piers and ant caps need replacing and the building requires leveling. Safety of the guides and their leaders, volunteers, people who hire the hall and the general public is of paramount importance. Benefits include improved safety and improved structural integrity of the building for all using it.
Guides, leaders, the support group and the community will be better off as a result of this project because of the improved safety factor and a level floor. In addition, this will provide an alternate hall venue in the Maitland-Rutherford area for people to hire such as dog scent trainers, families for birthday parties and other functions and non-traditional churches.
Cost: $30,000
MaitSpace Event Space
Maitland Public School
An outdoor event space to bring community groups together in performance, creating social connections. A space to celebrate creative activities.
The outdoor event space will equip Maitland Public School and local community groups with a welcoming and flexible event space to host performances and community events. The space will consist of an accessible stage area, flexible seating and provide shelter for onlookers.
The outdoor event space will provide a canvas for community and school-based special events. The area will be a dynamic space accessible to local community groups and sporting organisations, who utilise the school grounds. The area will promote and foster greater collaboration with the school and community stakeholders. The outdoor performance event space design will encompass accessible staging, audience shelter and seating options.
Cost: $95,000
Netball Courts Upgrade
Maitland District Netball Association
To rebuild four courts within Maitland Park that are both safe and built to standard.
The Maitland community will be provided with a safe netball playing facility. One free of cracks, loose gravel and pooling water. The courts will also be built to meet netball standards, which they currently do not. This space will be utilised by not only the 2000 plus netball members but also the wider community, who enjoy the free space to teach their children to ride bikes, roller skate and attend boot camps.
The facility will allow Maitland Netball to offer more social competitions. Mixed, twilight and Fast Five could all be introduced. A safer facility would allow the club to play walking netball targeted at over 60s. This will give community members more chance to participate in healthy activity. The improved facilities will also allow Maitland Netball to apply for regional and state carnivals, bringing a great financial boost to the local businesses.
Cost: $200,000
Community Bound
Sunnyfield
Sunnyfield needs a new wheelchair modified van so locals with intellectual and physical disabilities can continue to access their community.
Having a dedicated vehicle will allow local clients to access their community and participate in group activities, fostering a sense of belonging and help create a more vibrant and inclusive society.
Every activity that enhances the wellbeing and assimilation of people with disability in the community helps reduce attitudinal barriers of exclusion and creates a more vibrant and inclusive society.
Cost: $79,391
Hall revitalisation
East Maitland Public School P&C Association
A revitalised hall space to increase user comfort and create opportunities to engage in creative arts and cultural events.
This project will create increased comfort, concentration and engagement for students, teachers and families at EMPS when participating in activities in the hall. It will also create a vibrant creative arts space which will enhance students' opportunities (including three multi-cat support units) to explore dance/drama/music/media. Creative arts provide practical learning opportunities, engage the brain's creative side, build self-confidence, and provide outlets to explore a growing sense of independence.
The hall has many users including OOSH provider, Maitland Baptist Church who cares for children from various local schools. The hall is also hired out for community/private events. Sustainable cooling will improve comfort for all users. The project will increase flexibility of how/when the hall is used by the community and will provide a performing arts space which can be hired by community groups to hold creative arts classes, productions/performances.
Cost: $54,494
Outdoor Adventures
The Scout Association of Australia NSW Branch
Equipment for outdoor activities for East Maitland Scouts and subsequently the wider community.
The grant will be used to replace and repair equipment essential for outdoor scouting activities including: camping, water sports, rock sports and hiking. The new equipment will help and encourage youth empowerment through active participation in the outdoors. The new badge system further emphasises outdoor activities as part of our weekly program.
Five scouting groups currently use the East Maitland Scout Hall equating to 75 youth members. Several other scout and guide groups in the Maitland area would also have ready access to the new equipment. Engaging the area's youth in community based, outdoor, supervised, team building group activities encourages healthy lifestyle, personal growth, leadership skills, and the ability to work with others.
Cost: $60,000
Final stage of truck refurbishment
Community First Disaster Relief
A permanent vehicle that will be available at any time to provide the needs of emergency workers at any disaster location.
The community will feel secure that their first responders and volunteer emergency workers will be looked after. First responders and volunteer emergency workers will be able to totally focus on the disaster at hand knowing that their immediate needs will be catered for.
The vehicle will be self-contained to help people in their time of need without putting more strain on that district.
Cost: $52,566
Metford Community Play Space
Metford Public School
Providing a play space for the Metford community to facilitate and encourage an active and healthy lifestyle.
Metford PS is a community hub utilised for programs and events such as playgroup, transition to school and Metford Mingle BBQ. Local organisations including OOSH, vacation care, karate, dance and fitness groups frequently use the facilities. A new play space is needed as the original play space is 30 years old. This will provide a safe place where children can be physically active and socialise with other children and their families.
Data shows a high percentage of children under 12 live in Metford. This play space will support the physical and mental wellbeing of these children and families. This play space will support Maitland Council's identification of a lack of play areas within a 500m radius of Metford school for these children.
Cost: $150,000
HRCS Electronic Billboard
Hunter River Community School
The electronic billboard will promote the school's profile to the community and increase the pride in the school.
The noticeboard would raise the profile of the public school by making the public aware that HRCS is a real school and not just a "baby sitting" service for children with disabilities. Student wellbeing will be improved, as they see that their school has similar key characteristics as other local schools. The noticeboard will also allow the school to display the education achievements and milestones of students to the community, as well as community events.
Cost: $59,585
Precious Plastic Recycling Workshop
St Aloysius Catholic Primary School, Chisholm
A plastic recycling station that converts any type of plastic into useful, everyday materials.
This project will provide a recycling centre for the local community. It will use the donated plastics and turn them into useful objects for local schools and the wider community.
The community will benefit from this project by becoming educated on the recycling process and also be able to become involved in the project. St Aloysius Primary School is planning to run this work space out of the school, therefore educating students on the process. The workshop can create objects for the community from donated plastics.
Cost: $50,000
Enhancing accessibility to St James Anglican Church, Morpeth
Trustees of Church Property for the Diocese of Newcastle
Complete the upgrade to the entrance to St James Anglican Church, Morpeth to ensure safe and unrestricted entrance.
Safe access to the church building for the congregation and members of the wider community who participate in a variety of activities in the building. As a heritage listed building over 175 years old, the current access is difficult for the aging population typical of both the congregation and the local community generally. The upgrade will particularly benefit those using wheelchairs and walkers and young families with infants in prams.
The building is not only central to the lives of a significant minority for religious observances but also provides a venue for a range of activities such as orchestral and choral performances which are strongly patronised by the general community.
Cost: $59,150