Ten local projects will receive a share in $20K grant funding in the first year of the Granville Harbour Wind Farm Community Grants Program.
Project Director Lyndon Frearson said they received a fantastic response to the call for applications with a significant number of submissions received from organisations across the West Coast.
“We developed the grants program as a way to make a positive contribution to the region and to give something back to the community that has supported the wind farm.”
“Our aim is to make a real difference to the local community and to support projects that will encourage greater participation, improve safety or contribute to the sustainability of the region.”
“I was very impressed by the quality of the applications received and am delighted that we’re able to support so many worthy projects that will deliver significant benefits for the West Coast community.”
Four of the ten grant recipients are community groups based in Zeehan, the closest town to the wind farm, with the remaining six spread across the West Coast. Zeehan based recipients include the local Men’s Shed, the Netball Association, Zeehan Cricket Club and the West Coast Heritage Centre.
Zeehan Netball Association received funding for their project to provide free training to local primary school children who would like to learn to play netball.
“I’m really proud to be able to support projects like this, that help to encourage participation and can make a real difference to the local community,” said Mr Frearson.
Phil Vickers, Executive Director of the West Coast Heritage Centre in Zeehan, said the grant would enable them to complete an upgrade to Gallery Six, the oldest at the Centre, and develop a new exhibition that will share the personal stories and tell the history of mining on the West Coast.
“The West Coast Heritage Centre has huge significance to the region and is the only display in Tasmania that depicts a comprehensive history of the development of the West Coast and its rich pioneering past. The Centre brings many visitors to Zeehan, which has a flow-on benefits for the town, and it’s fantastic that we are now able to begin work to further improve our displays,” said Mr Vickers.
Other grant recipients include the Queenstown Men’s Shed, Rosebery Toorak Football Club, Strahan Senior Citizens Club, Queenstown Scouts Group, Mt Lyell Strahan Picnic Committee and the Cradle Coast Authority.
Each application was assessed by representatives from the wind farm project team and reviewed by West Coast Council to ensure the projects that best reflect the priorities of the region, and would deliver the greatest benefit to the community, were selected.
The grants program is planned to run each year for the operational life of the wind farm.