Xplosions Melton Thankful for Support Despite COVID-19 Challenges
By Tenpin Bowling Australia
Xplosions Bar and Bowl in Melton is one of three tenpin bowling centres in Victoria that became beneficiaries from round three of the Victorian State Governments COVID-19 Survival Package.
The Victorian Government’s Community Sport Sector COVID-19 Survival package has provided an opportunity to support the operational viability of community sport and active recreation organisations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tenpin Bowling centres impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic stretch far and wide. One of those affected is a new bowl on the scene- Xplosions Bar and Bowl situated in Melton, Victoria.
“The centre has been open for two years and due to COVID we have been closed for over 200 days. As a result, it’s been difficult to develop our league base and maintain the bowler’s interest” explained centre manager Justin Lopes.
After being made aware of Round 3 funding, Xplosions Bar and Bowl was one of three Victorian centres that applied and successfully received funding. The decision to apply was a no-brainer.
“We have been looking at all avenues for financial support due to lockdown closures,” said Justin. “We needed to source income for the venue so we can reopen to our loyal customers”.
The package builds upon the Victorian Government’s Experience Economy Survival Package which provided urgent support to help a range of key attractions, organisations and associations ride out the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and help them reboot, rebound, and recover.
Finding it ‘easy’ to apply through the sport and recreation website, Justin is eager to use the funding to reboot, rebound and recover.
“We would like to use the funding to welcome back the bowlers and to make the venue COVID safe” explained Justin.
The Community Sport Sector COVID-19 Survival Package has already delivered grants totalling over $39 million to thousands of Victorian sport and active recreation organisations. Now in its fourth round of funding, the Survival Package will provide an additional $10 million for community sport and active recreation organisations that meet eligibility requirements.
“We are extremely grateful as a sport and industry that registered Tenpin Bowling centres in Victoria have this funding opportunity,” said TBA CEO Rohan O’Neill. “We thank the Victorian government and the Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence for their inclusion of tenpin bowling centres under the eligibility criteria. It has been a very difficult time for the industry in Victoria as it has been for all Victorians. We encourage all registered Victorian centres to follow the lead of Xplosions in Melton and apply for the survival package to support the recovery and re-opening of centres across the state”.
For Xplosions Bar and Bowl’s Justin Lopes, the opportunity to access funding initiatives like the COVID-19 Survival package are all part of the perks of being an accredited TBA centre.
“As a new business we fully want to support the sport of Tenpin Bowling and the best way to do this is to be an accredited TBA centre” explained Justin. “It gives us opportunities to apply for funding and also access to run programs like Bowl Patrol and Bowl Abilities and make a contribution to the sport”.
The Survival Package is available to all Tenpin Bowling Australia registered centres within Victoria. Round four applications are now open and can be accessed clicking here – Community Sport Sector COVID-19 Survival Package – Sport and Recreation Victoria . Round four applications for funding close Friday, 29th October 2021.
Previous grant recipients (from any of the first three funding rounds) will be considered for an automatic top-up payment and will be asked to respond to an email from Sport and Recreation Victoria by Friday, 29th October 2021.
