Workers and patrons at Dubbo Harness Racing Club’s Hot2Trot Café will benefit from improvements to the facility, made possible by funding from the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnerships program.
Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders used the club’s feature Red Ochre meeting to announce a grant of $46,375, which will be used to undertake a wholesale upgrade of the aged kitchen, dining and canteen facilities.
“Dubbo Harness Racing Club has a proud history and has been the home of stars such as Lone Boy and Karloo Mick, who each competed in Inter Dominions and many other feature races,” Mr Saunders said.
“The club is run by volunteers who love the sport and they discussed with me during the election campaign, and again during a visit with Minister Kevin Anderson, their desire to upgrade the equipment and fit-out of the cafe area.
“During COVID the cafe hasn’t been in operation however those restrictions have changed and with the club having 18 meetings next year it is important that the volunteers who run the canteen and the patrons that utilise it have a safe and comfortable facility.”
Dubbo Harness Racing Club director David Wrigley welcomed the announcement, saying the funding will be utilised in a number of ways.
“We want to upgrade some of our equipment to make the canteen work easier for the people who give up their time to help out,” Mr Wrigley said.
“We also have plans to replace the ceiling, which has holes in it, with new gyprock and replace the current flooring, which is old and tattered. “It’s been a long-term plan of ours to do this work, but now that we have the money it gives us the certainty to be able to go ahead with it.”