Group to focus on Linton building’s future

WHAT to do with the old Linton shire offices?

That’s a question now being put to eight community members who have formed part of a committee set up by Golden Plains Shire to focus on the issue.

Ideas include a neighbourhood house, pop up shops, visiting traders like hairdressers or beauty consultants ,or an arts precinct.

“We’d love to see it become a community resource to keep people in the town and provide opportunities,” said committee member Karen Ronan.

Located on Sussex Street, the offices were first used as the Shire of Grenville headquarters until amalgamation in the early 1990s.

Since then the building was a Golden Plains Shire customer service centre, although that closed in 2020, and the main chamber also hosted council meetings every second month.

For Ms Ronan, the building’s link to the past is an important reason for preservation.

“We don’t want to see that history disappear,” she said. “I’ve got one of my relations on one of the boards in there, he was a shire secretary for many years. We just don’t want to see it closed up, sold, pulled down, or any of that.”

A self-described “diversity pick”, Kirk McDonald is on the committee for his focus on youth activities.

“I remember when they used to run the Freezer stuff in the shire and I wouldn’t mind trying to get something for the kids here,” he said.

“Even if it’s just a holiday program or a one night a month sort of thing, like a move or games. Just to have something else in the town for kids to do.”

While they all have ideas about the space could be used for, Eugene Grigg said ultimately the purpose of the group is to work in tandem with the community.

“All this gets back to what the community might want,” he said.

“Unless people put their hand up and say ‘we would like this to happen’ then what’s the point in us eight people butting our heads against a brick wall.”