Schoolkids and residents in Northcote will have access to a new sports oval through the Bell Primary School Community Sports Oval project, thanks to $195,290 from the Victorian Government’s Pick My Project initiative.

Member for Northcote, Kat Theophanous officially opened the sports oval at Bell Primary School on behalf of the Minister for Suburban Development, Hon Marlene Kairouz, on Monday 7 October.

The project has transformed a previously under-utilised open space at Bell Primary School into a brand new turf community sports oval featuring under surface irrigation and drainage.

The oval will provide vital sporting infrastructure for the local area, with the school, local sporting clubs and community groups using it to host a range of sports and local events.

The project has also seen Bell Primary School join forces with the Darebin Falcons all-female sporting club which will see the club host new soccer clinics at the oval, which will make a positive impact for girls and women across the region.

Pick My Project is a Victorian Government first - a $30 million participatory budgeting initiative that puts decision making in the hands of Victorians. Victorians aged 16 and over were encouraged to generate project ideas that make their local community an even better place to live, then vote for their favourites.

Pick My Project has awarded funding to 237 successful project ideas state-wide, with funding allocated between the six metropolitan and nine regional partnership areas. The Bell Primary School Community Sports Oval project is one of 18 successful projects from the Pick My Project initiative in the Northern Metro region and four in the electorate of Northcote.

The region received more than $2.94 million in funding through the initiative, after a total of 36,491 votes were cast across the region.

Quotes attributable to Member for Northcote district, Kat Theophanous MP

“This fantastic new sporting oval for Bell Primary School is another great example of the Pick My Project initiative making a difference across Victoria.”

“Bell Primary is such an important part of the local community. This facility and partnership with the Darebin Falcons means more girls and boys can enjoy being active and have access to a great and a great club.”