Alongside stadium user groups, Ms Cleeland collected more than 400 signatures on a petition calling for a rebuild of the stadium, which was tabled in Victorian Parliament by former member Steph Ryan before the November election.
The Nationals made a commitment to fund the rebuild if elected to government, which was subsequently supported by the Victorian Government, thanks to the advocacy of Ms Cleeland.
“It was great to have so many stadium user groups on the same page pushing the need for a rebuild of the facility with increased capacity,” Ms Cleeland said.
“The community drove this project. We don’t want to see anyone missing out on community sport because the resources aren’t there to support them.
“With such a strong petition backing the need for a new stadium it made it difficult for the Victorian Government to look the other way.
“I appreciate them coming to the table and matching The Nationals’ commitment.”
Ms Cleeland said it was important to keep the project on the radar of the government.
“We get this rebuild in progress as soon as possible,” she said.
“Floodwaters ran through the building (in October) and the facilities simply can’t cope with the number of participants.
“The structure is incredibly dated. Benalla’s new stadium can’t come quick enough.”
Once the government provides additional information, Ms Cleeland said she would make it available to the public.
“I’ve asked the Treasurer whether or not funding will be in this year’s budget. I’m hopeful that we can get things under way this year,” Ms Cleeland said.
“I’ve also requested a timeline on the expected completion of the project, which is something I hope the Department has provided.
“There’s a lot of passion in the community for this project and I’m so keen to see it come to fruition and provide an update as to when we will see this new stadium built.”
