Deputy premier John Barilaro announced in Orange on Monday that the funds would be provided under the $200 million statewide Stronger Country Communities Fund to be spent over the next two years.

Mr Barilaro said it would be up to council to propose projects to spend the money.

Community groups from the Men’s Shed to the Equestrian Centre can now put their hats in the rink for projects, although there are some restrictions.

Apart from each project needing a minimum $100,000 spend, there was no restriction on how many separate projects would be funded.

Blayney mayor Scott Ferguson said that the requirements for successful funding were very tight and council had plenty of shovel ready projects that they could consider,  but would also be waiting for community input when the sports master plan is tabled in October – November.

An upgrade of the facilities at King George Oval is front and central in the thinking of Blayney Bears president Adam Hornby.

“We really need to duplicate and update the change rooms so that the league tag girls and any other sports groups will have separate men’s and women’s sections,” he said.

“That will allow us to have all sorts of regional events and carnivals here in Blayney.

Mr Hornby is also a big supporter of seeing Daker’s Oval being turned into a top-class cricket ground, a view that the president of the juniors cricket club, Ian Hobby, thoroughly agrees with.

“My father used to play here as a kid and we’ve never had any work done here, all it is, is a pitch,” he said.

“We’ve put in submissions before for a toilet block, fencing and some cricket nets and we’ll be submitting an application once again.

“The only nets that we have are the ones at the high school and we’re very lucky that they let us use them.”

Adam Hornby said that council now had a great opportunity that shouldn’t be squandered.

“With this sort of money they can now make it happen,” he said.