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The Racing Victoria Limited Community Racing Scheme for Picnic Racing will be officially announced at Balnarring’s Australia Day picnic race meeting.
The RVL Community Racing Scheme will:-
* Provide funding of up to $2500 to picnic racing clubs to assist them in hosting race meetings that provide an economic and social benefit to their local community.
* Reward and showcase the success of picnic clubs in engaging their communities and growing racing and highlight the important role played by the volunteer through the introduction of the RVL Community Racing Volunteer of the Year and RVL Community Club of the Year awards.
The Member for Hastings Rosy Buchanan MP will make the announcement on behalf of the State Government.
The RVL Community Racing Scheme has received $42,500 in funding from the Victorian Government’s Racing Community Development Fund, which was launched by Racing Minister John Pandazopoulos at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre this month.
The Racing Community Development Fund is a Victorian Government funding initiative that will support the growth and development of the thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing industries.
The Racing Community Development Fund is injecting $8 million into the Victorian Racing Industry over the next two years to enhance the industry’s value to Victoria and support a number of important projects and programs.
Almost 40 individual projects are being funded through the Racing Community Development Fund in the current year.
Picnic racing clubs will apply to RVL for funding through the RVL Community Racing Scheme.
The Minister for racing John Pandazopoulos said the Community Racing Scheme will play an important role in assisting clubs to host picnic racing meetings and establish greater connections with their local communities.
"Country racing is not only a fantastic day out, it plays an important role in rural and regional communities where two-thirds or 40,000 of all thoroughbred and harness racing jobs are based, “Mr. Pandazopoulos said.
"It is also makes a substantial contribution to regional economies, with country race meetings throughout the year contributing more than $920 million to provincial Victoria's bottom line and attracting more than 600,000 spectators.
