THE exact final cost is still being counted, but the Alexandra Park new pavilion and upgrades will come in significantly over budget, with Glenelg Shire Council to cover the extra spend.

Councillors signed on to pay $1.3million of the multi-million dollar project, which included a new multi-purpose pavilion, car parking, accessible pathways and sport-standard lighting for the reserve.

The new facilities were unveiled in August, the culmination of years of work, which eventually got the go-ahead following the State Government announcing its share of the funding in 2021.

Council’s acting CEO David Hol said delays and a significant increase in the cost of materials and other construction costs in recent years were responsible for most of the blowout.

“We put it at around $7.1m to $7.2m, in the original funding council was going to put in $1.3m, so I think it’s probably the best part of nearly $1m more than what was originally planned,” he said.

“There is some funding opportunities we're using to offset the increase so it's not necessarily coming out of rating revenue.”

The extra money includes savings from projects in the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program and other funding that has come under budget, Mr Hol said.