Neighbourhood House pushing for better hall deal

PORTARLINGTON Neighbourhood House (PNH) is campaigning for an improved tenancy deal from the City of Greater Geelong and upgrades to its Parks Hall home as part of a review into Portarlington community infrastructure.

PNH has written to COGG as part of the Portarlington Community Facilities Study, for which it has released a draft that is now open for consultation.

The neighbourhood house says it has more than 700 members and 80 volunteers to be the third largest community organisation in Portarlington after its golf and football-netball clubs, and provides more than 80 program hours each week across 40 activities.

It says its future growth plans have targeted a larger and more diverse membership, with the majority of its current base from the town’s senior population

But PNH says its current and future opportunities are limited by its lease deal with COGG for the Newcombe Street facility, which it says is an unsuitable venue and slugs the group with unfair utility costs.

PNH president Margaret Belfrage has urged COGG to reconsider the infrastructure issue and provide more detail about a potential refurbishment of the group’s current home.

“Currently, we are the primary tenant of Parks Hall, a COGG facility. However, this is not a suitable venue to cater for our current program or our future aspirations,” Ms Belfrage’s letter stated.

“PNH is rejecting CoGG’s proposed plan for a ‘network model’ of existing facilities as described in their draft report.

“We request a detailed plan for refurbishment of Parks Hall, and also request that CoGG fully consult with our members on current and future infrastructure proposals, and with regard to financial and leasing arrangements.”

The city’s study is a wide-ranging plan for the Bellarine town that outlines issues and opportunities for a range of community facilities such as meeting spaces, library services, early years centres and social programs.

COGG’s draft report states that Parks Hall is “well placed to be a focus for community activity of varying types” due to its location and space.

“The open space setting of Parks Hall and its current configuration also indicate that it would have capacity for extension or renovation (subject to landowner consent) to overcome compliance issues and to provide additional space to cater for the future growth in community activity and demand.”

COGG has hosted community drop-in sessions on its draft plan and public comment is open until next Friday (December 9): yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/UCFSPStudy