WHEN Ballarat Group Training moved from Mount Pleasant to the former Ballarat Secondary College site on Barkly Street, they didn\u2019t just find educational premises.<\/p>\n
With more space than they needed, BGT realised the building\u2019s potential to evolve into a Ballarat East community hub with other likeminded groups, and over the last two years as Barkly Square, this is precisely what it\u2019s become.<\/p>\n
BGT CEO Graham McMahon said the space quickly gained momentum.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs community groups saw other community groups moving in, they wanted to be part of it, and now we\u2019ve got this collaboration between them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The old school building is at capacity, with 19 sub-tenants which are mostly not-for-profits; Altitec Australia, Ballarat Italian Association, Ballarat Wholefoods Collective, Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council, Ballarat Times News Group<\/em>, and the Centre for Multicultural Youth are all based in the Square.<\/p>\n Cops n Kids, Djerriwarrh Community & Education Services, Djirra Aboriginal Legal Services, Goldfields & District Lacrosse League, Noah\u2019s Ark, Sports Central, The Hidden Orchard, a Men\u2019s Shed, Ballarat Toy Library, Very Special Kids, Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association, Voice FM and the YMCA share the space, too.<\/p>\n \u201cThey support each other in a myriad of ways, including funding opportunities,\u201d Mr McMahon said.<\/p>\n \u201cRecently BRMC, CMY and BGT combined to put in a funding submission to upgrade and fit-out the commercial community kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n Successful in their application, the kitchen will be accessible to tenants, and publicly leased as a commercial facility.<\/p>\n BGT is \u201cnurturing\u201d social enterprise, A Pot of Courage, to establish a sustainable business model at Barkly Square, while also providing a space to run their own vibrant, intercultural caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n \u201cThe food, smells, meetings, coffee, take-home meals… all this activity is so important here.<\/p>\n \u201cWithout that social hub, we\u2019re just an office building. The cross-pollination support has been fantastic,\u201d Mr McMahon said.<\/p>\n \u201cBGT has a truer community outlook now that we\u2019ve had before.\u201d<\/p>\n Ballarat Wholefoods Collective founding member, Wendy Aston said the centre has a positive energy.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody is enthusiastic to be here. We\u2019re all like minded, you can stop in the hallways, have a talk, and it\u2019s just got such a really nice feel about it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery time a group arrives, it adds to the jigsaw.\u201d<\/p>\n Voice FM has a purpose-built studio upstairs. Chair, Ron Egeberg said Barkly Square is full of an \u201cexceptional, eclectic mix of complementary organisations.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re proud to be part of the community hub, and to support it as an important part of the community of Ballarat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has so many advantages; excellent disability access, it\u2019s positioning is ideal for parking, and it\u2019s easy for anybody to get to, especially our volunteers and public interviewees.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s given us a new lease of life, and as we recover from COVID, we\u2019re working with BGT to create a way forward.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" WHEN Ballarat Group Training moved from Mount Pleasant to the former Ballarat Secondary College site on Barkly Street, they didn\u2019t just find educational premises. With more space than they needed, BGT realised the building\u2019s potential to evolve into a Ballarat East community hub with other likeminded groups, and over the last two years as Barkly […]<\/p>\n