In council's March meeting the councillors voted to support a bid for funding from the Victorian Government's Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program Round Two for the North Park Netball Court Development project.

Swifts president Ian O'Donnell said the club was very happy with the support the council had given the club in helping to give the netball courts a much needed facelift.

"We have put in a letter of support for the grants last week and we support everything the Northern Grampians are trying to do upgrade North Park," he said.

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"Netball Victoria have been checking our courts each year and they're really at the end, and that's why we thought we would get the clubrooms built and now we hopefully will get funding for the courts and it will be fantastic when it is all done."

The upgrade will be extensive, with council confirming the project will deliver three reinforced concrete netball courts with 1.5 meter wide pathways connecting the spectator walkway areas with wheelchair/standing areas and two shelters with seating and fencing.

The council also said development could begin within six months of funding approval, with Mr O'Donnell anticipating the 2021 season will be last the old courts are used at North Park.

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"It is a fairly big project and that's why we are supporting the council," Mr O'Donnell said.

"Once they get the money from the grant they will be hoping they can start on the project at the end of this season.

"We will use the old courts for this season, but then once this season is over, pending approval of the grants, they will fence up the whole place and rip up everything and they will be able to fix up that whole area."

Council have committed to contributing $300,000 to the development, which is above the minimum 10% co-contribution requirement of the program.

Over extensive community consultation processes, the council said the current state of the North Park netball precinct is "poor" and is not an inclusive, accessible or welcoming environment for netball.

Stakeholders also told council the poor netball facilities are negatively impacting on female participation in sport and recreation.

In May 2020, the Victorian Government launched the Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program aimed to fast-track investment into shovel-ready community sport and recreation infrastructure, while delivering jobs to help people get back to work.

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