Mayor's Message - Thursday 28 April

Mayors Message 

In 2022, Ballarat has already delivered a feast of arts and sporting entertainment. It has also received a generational opportunity through the announcement of Ballarat as the host venue for the 2026 Commonwealth Games athletics, boxing, T20 cricket and para-athletics. 

Now it is set to deliver one of the most industrious and collaborative economic initiatives the city has seen. 

Last Thursday Ballarat launched ‘Ballarat. Now and Into the Future 2022’, a new campaign seeking state and federal funding support for six transformational projects for Ballarat and the region exactly one month out from the 2022 Federal Election. 

The co-operative campaign between nine of Ballarat’s key organisations representing the health, education, tourism, commercial, local government and advocacy sectors will each bring city-wide and regional benefits with an estimated combined $372 million injection into the Ballarat economy, generating over 1700 jobs and $315.6 million in economic activity during construction.  

The six projects include: 

• Community Mental Health Facility – a purpose-built facility to meet the rapidly growing demand for community-based mental health services in Ballarat and the Grampians Region. 

• Ballarat Major Events Precinct Expansion – delivering a world-class major events precinct for sport and entertainment. 

• Sovereign Master Plan Phase 1b – the next exciting stage of development at Sovereign Hill boosting visitation to Ballarat and the west. 

• Ballarat Link Road Next Stages – a 12 km arterial to connect our rapidly building growth area and improve freight movement through Ballarat to four regional highways and key ports. 

• Ballarat University Town – bringing thousands of Federation University students to the Ballarat CBD each day by establishing state of the art teaching facilities at SMB Campus. 

• Circular Economy Precinct anchored by a Materials Recovery Facility – a new precinct at the Ballarat West Employment Zone with a new facility to sort mixed recyclables from across our region so they can be repurposed by circular businesses into useful new products.  

With two up-coming elections this is a powerful collaborative bid, and I would encourage everyone to find out more by visiting ballaratnow.com.