Shire of Harvey commits $20m for crucial projects with community champions backing bid

A South West shire has endorsed $20 million for five major projects with the backing of prominent community voices.

Several community members from the Harvey shire have stepped up to champion crucial projects in the region as part of the shire’s Community Voice, Funding Our Future campaign.

Some of the major projects the shire has looked to back are the Harvey multi-use learning and community hub, and the Harvey accessible playground.

Sports facilities will also receive a helping hand with funding going towards the Leschenault Leisure Centre courts expansion, the development of ovals seven and eight at the Leschenault Recreation Park and the Munda Biddi Harvey Spur Trail.

At the heart of this campaign were community members who have become the faces of several projects, sharing their stories through unscripted video recordings.

These included Karen Lindstrom, a Harvey Memorial Library patron, Ester Italiano a local business owner and grandmother and Craig Ewing a member of the Harvey Brunswick Leschenault Junior Football Club, among others.

Shire president Michelle Campbell said the projects highlighted by the community members address the needs of the shire’s rapidly growing population.

“These projects have been shaped by public consultation, design workshops and extensive stakeholder engagement,” she said.

“They align with State and Federal government priorities, and our community’s backing strengthens our case for funding.”

The community hub includes the expansion of the Harvey Memorial Library, endorsed by the council in September last year.

The shire has committed $9.4m to the project with the push to generate an additional $6.1m from the State and Federal governments.

The shire supported the push for an accessible playground in November last year, which would also see the addition of an enclosed dog park adjoining the Dr Peter Topham memorial swimming pool.

The shire has committed $690,000 for the playground and is looking for an additional $670,000 from both the State and Federal governments.

The expansion of the Leschenault Leisure Centre has been on the backburner for the shire since 2019.

The push to expand the centre’s courts will help the shire met the growing player demand with the centre hosting 421,000 visitors last year, and the expectation demand will increase by 50 per cent by 2041.

The shire has committed $5.5m to the expansion with an additional $3m already secured from State government funding, though the shire is looking for an additional $15.5m from both governments to deliver the project.

Additional courts were outlined in the Leschenault Leisure Centre expansion project with the council committing $4.25m to the new ovals and the shire looking for an additional $4m to come from partnership funding.

Finally expansion of the Munda Biddi Harvey Spur Trail looks to capitalise on the shire’s adventure tourism repertoire, with the 1000km trail weaving through Lake Brockman set for an additional 80km loop connecting Harvey Dam to the Yarri Hut in Mornington.

The shire has committed $156,000 to the new project and is looking for an additional $2.4m from partnership funding.