Shire keeps moving on three community proposals

THE Surf Coast Shire has moved three proposals for community projects to the next stage after an investigation found them to be feasible, and has sought more planning work on a fourth project.

The proposals were referred for detailed investigation at the June council meeting, and councillors received recommendations on the projects at their December 8 meeting.

“This program is incredibly valuable to council and the community as a way of understanding the community’s ideas, and working with them to help them develop project they’d like to progress in their own communities,” Surf Coast mayor Libby Stapleton said.

Councillors unanimously resolved to refer three of the projects to the council’s future project prioritisation and budget processes, including consideration for grant opportunities alongside other eligible projects:

Adding visual appeal, facility upgrades, new infrastructure and planting at the Moriac and District Lions Park site to attract more visitors, add interest and also support the many Lions Park and neighbouring Moriac Store visitors
A new deck construction at the front of the existing Jan Juc Cricket Club rooms at Bob Pettitt Reserve, creating a functional outdoor social space and maximising oval viewing capacity, and
Developing a modern arboretum (outdoor museum of trees) in Winchelsea, with existing and proposed walking and cycling trails linking “mini arboreta” sites.

Cr Adrian Schonfelder voiced his support for the works at the Moriac and District Lions Park.

“It is like a village green, it’s very important and many visitors stop there, particularly those travelling to Cape Otway and further afield,” he said.

The fourth proposal is for the Spring Creek Community Hub, which would be a multi-use facility with some shared amenities and bookable spaces to service Torquay Community Men’s Shed, Surf Coast Tennis Club, Torquay Lions and Rotary Clubs, Danawa Community Garden and the wider community.

The investigation into the hub, which would have a cost of $2.14 million, found the proposal was feasible but “challenging financially”, so it would be put in a “hold point” to allow further social infrastructure and council planning work to be completed (including the new Council Plan, Health and Wellbeing Plan, Age Friendly Strategy and a shire-wide social infrastructure needs assessment) before it was referred to the next stage.

Cr Rose Hodge said the hub – which would be an extension of the existing Surf Coast Tennis Club facilities in Spring Creek Reserve – was a much larger proposal than the others but “may go ahead with state or federal help”.

At the meeting, councillors also referred three project proposals from the Community Project Proposal Master List for investigation in the January to March 2021 quarter: