Ararat Wind Farm Sustainable Grants awarded

Community groups across the Ararat Rural City, Northern Grampians Shire and Pyrenees Shire areas have been awarded Ararat Wind Farm Sustainable Grants.

The grants were awarded at an event last month, where Ararat Wind Farm and Wind Lab representative Shaun Blackie presented the grants and Ararat Wind Farm’s Dean Tonkin spoke. Ararat Rural City Council’s CEO Dr Tim Harrison and Cr Gwenda Allgood and Northern Grampians Shire Council Mayor Cr Tony Driscoll attended.

This is the third year the Ararat Wind Farm Sustainable Grants Program have been awarded, providing much-needed community support.

This year the program received 26 applications with 17 successful groups sharing $65,000.   The assessment panel was made up of community and Council representatives from each municipality and a representative from the Ararat Wind Farm.

Mr Tonkin said the Ararat Wind Farm was delighted to provide the grants to provide financial support to promote social and environmental sustainability initiatives for the benefit of local communities.

“This fund is part of the Ararat Wind Farm’s community investment program,” he said.

“It was great to see the Ararat Wind Farm’s Sustainable Grants Fund distributed across the three Councils to again provide assistance so the community groups can complete their important projects.”

The grant recipients were:

Ararat Rural City

Ararat Basketball Association – moveable scoring bench Ararat Live – equipment replacement Ararat Men’s Shed – table saw Ararat Neighbourhood House – Comfortable Ambience – Delete the Heat project Ararat Show Society Inc. – shade shelter Ararat Tennis Club – lights on the east courts Ararat VRI Bowls Club – club uniforms Buangor Community Sports – barbecue upgrade Elmhurst Development Group/Market – seating and shade project Pyrenees Ranges Pleasure Drivers Inc. – toys for ponies, portable arena

Northern Grampians Shire

Stuart Mill Progress Association – seating and outdoor community area St Arnaud Citizens Band Hall Refurbishment – electrical upgrade Paradise Hall Committee – kitchen restoration project Halls Gap Community Association – Grampians Flora Botanic Gardens equipment purchase

Pyrenees Shire

Country Womens Association Landsborough – defibrillator Raglan Hall and Recreation Reserve Committee – replacement of windows Beaufort RSL – upgrade to kitchen applicants