Dick and Mavis Hazeldene kicked off the drive amid much fanfare on April 21 with a $300,000 contribution, on top of $100,000 already raised by the Kangaroo Flat Community Enterprise group.

But since then the organisation has collected just 1.5 per cent of the remaining $600,000 needed to meet the target.

In response, KFCE – together with fundraising partner Bendigo Community Health Services – has now redoubled its efforts, with the Bendigo Bank coming on board to provide a secure donation point at each of its local branches.

KFCE director Geoff Bowyer said the group had deliberately waited until after the recent federal election to ramp up the fundraiser, but that the time was now right to seek community ownership of the new aquatic centre.

“There’s been significant focus on the federal election in the last three months and we didn't want to distract anyone from that,” he said.

“People have been confused about how they donate, in this day and age it’s only fair and reasonable people have an absolutely secure medium for making those donations and that’s why we wanted make sure we’ve got the Bendigo Bank in a partnership in this so they’ll be able to go to a banking institution and deposit their donations and are able to immediately get a receipt.”

Mr Bowyer said KFCE was also in discussions with a number of business partners he believed would make significant contributions.

“We’re very significantly down the track with another organisation which is going to donate a six-figure sum and we’re about to start negotiations with another one after that,” he said.

Business and individual donors will have the opportunity to have their name displayed at various points throughout the centre, and Mr Bowyer said the fundraising drive would help promote community engagement with the project.

“We want to make certain that the community has every opportunity to buy in to the new facility and take a level of ownership and pride in the facility,” he said.

“We think that by fundraising and giving the community the opportunity to be part of that fundraising they can feel they’ve been a part of significant generational change in the community.”

Tax-deductible donations can be made at Bendigo Bank branches in Pall Mall, Mitchell Street, Strath Hill, Eaglehawk, Kangaroo Flat and Bath Lane, or via www.kfce.com.au