The Naracoorte Pastoral and Agricultural Society has received a $301,000 grant as part of the Regional Agricultural Show Development Grants program, with the funds being used to construct a new events facility at the showgrounds.
The facility will incorporate an exhibition hall, board room, kitchen, toilets, and storage rooms, with the carpark also set to be upgraded.
Naracoorte P&A Society secretary Amanda Lock said the much-needed upgrade was in the show's long-term strategic plan, but the grant - the largest awarded to any show in SA - was a huge coup.
"It's been a real boost to the committee, I think there will be lots of excitement and about what we can achieve with the building and infrastructure work," Ms Lock said.
"We are really excited about being able to offer Naracoorte something that people in the urban areas take for granted and while technology changes rapidly this is for generations to come," she said.
Wifi across the showground will also be installed using the grant money, make inputting results into a cloud based system far easier on show day, and enable livestreaming of show events as well as ram sales held at the venue.
"It gives us increased capabilities and we are hoping it will attract more people to come to the show and increase their involvement in our society," Mrs Lock said.
She said the building's design would allowed it to potentially be used as a refuge point for bushfire emergencies, and would also be available for hire to businesses and community groups throughout the year for events such as real estate auctions and agricultural workshops.
Towns and communities around SA need something like this to help benefit their communities, and the ones who have got the funding are very fortunate.
- FRANCIS ANDREWS
Work is expected to begin in the next couple of months with the aim for it to be completed by June 2021.
"We will go back to the local businesses and tradespeople who have given us quotes and hopefully everyone in the community will see the benefit of this grant," Mrs Lock said.
Mrs Lock said the nature of the funding was unlike previous programs, in which show societies struggled to fit into application criteria.
"It's always been a bit hard for shows to be able to find a nice neat place to fit into grants, so this grant specifically for show societies is just fantastic," she said.
Seventeen agricultural shows societies across the state have received grants as part of the program, and SA Country Shows president Francis Andrews said he was "very pleased" for those who had secured funds.
"Towns and communities around SA need something like this to help benefit their communities, and the ones who have got the funding are very fortunate," he said.
A total of 47 SA show societies applied for the funding, and Mr Andrews was hopeful that those who missed out would receive funding in the future.
"We're a little disappointed for those shows that didn't get the funding, but there may be another round of funding in a few years time and so we might be able to cover those shows as well," he said.
While many country shows have been cancelled this year due to COVID-19, Mr Andrews urged communities to support their next upcoming local show, whether that be this year or next year.
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