Junee Shire Council has made the decision to forego $70,000 in funding to upgrade Laurie Daley Oval amenities.
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Detailed in expenditure charts distributed at last month's council meeting, the funding was lost when council failed to use the sum in the allocated time.
Originally offered by the NRL in 2015, the funding was given a rough shelf-life of two years.
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"Works were delayed to the point that the NRL was saying the money needed to be spent," said Mr Davis.
"Council sought a 12-month extension which was approved, but the money was still never spent."
The money was an intended cost allocation that would be provided upon the commencement of upgrades. Having never reached the town coffers, after the deal shot-through council was not left with a debt to repay.
"We pleaded with them for [another] extension but in the end, they said 'no'. They have their own commitments and it was never really our money to spend."
But, council general manager James Davis said, the decision to pull the plug was made easier when the town secured three separate grants to the tune of $480,000.
"The Stronger Country Communities grants meant that we could access more funding," said Mr Davis.
"It made sense that we would be able to sacrifice the $70,000 for the larger amounts."
Individually, in recent years the NSW government provided $450,000 while the Riverina Schoolboys Rugby Carnival committed $25,000 and the Junee Diesels furthered with $5000.
Beginning just after Christmas, the funds have already been put to use as council continues to field tenders for the ongoing constructions.
Additionally, the new drainage system at the grounds has now been completed.
"The grounds and the facility will still be able to be used during the construction, there will just be fencing around the active construction," said Mr Davis.