Horse stalls at turf club to be replaced

Almost $100,000 will be spent reconstructing ageing horse stalls at the Broome Turf Club as part of a string of regional racecourse infrastructure projects in WA.

The club has been allocated about $85,000 by the State Government through Royalties for Regions and the Racecourse Infrastructure Grants Program.

With additional secured funding from the club itself, the total cost of the project is more than $94,000.

Broome Turf Club general manager Doug Milner said the old day stalls were decades old and were potentially dangerous to the horses and their handlers.

"This will allow us to demolish all the old day stalls and replace them with a newer-style construction," he said.

A Racing Gaming and Wagering Health and Safety Officer made the recommendation to replace the stalls during a visit in July last year.

Mr Milner said work had already started on the replacements.

"This is very good news for the Broome Turf Club.

"It will mean that we will be able to make that section of the racecourse safe and a lot more user-friendly," he said.

Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said the racing industry was an important contributor to the State's economy.

"This kind of support ensures regional communities can continue to receive the economic and social benefits that are dependent on the improvements of infrastructure and facilities in local race clubs," Mr Redman said.

Grants for regional facilities can be for as much as 90 per cent of the total project cost, up to a maximum of $900,000.