Hall to become community hub

By Lachlan Ellis

A community hall and public toilets will be replaced with a new multi-purpose community hub, thanks to an investment of over $300,000 from the State Government.

State MP for Buninyong Michaela Settle joined Moorabool Shire Mayor Cr Tom Sullivan and community members at Gerald Mullane Reserve, Navigators, to announce $326,000 in funding for the ‘Navigators Community Multi-Purpose Hub’.

The hub will include a multi-purpose community space, new kitchen, storage, and accessible amenities, with residents and visitors alike able to use the new facility.

Additional funding from Moorabool Shire Council and Ballan & District Community Bank Branch will bring the total to around $500,000.

“I know that this local community has been talking about this project for a long time, certainly Council has talked to me about it. It’s been one of those things of trying to work out which bucket of money we can do it from, and when we can do it,” Ms Settle said.

“I think what I love about projects like this is that they’re incredibly important to a community. I look around here and the whole community is here, it really matters. I’m delighted that we could fund it, but I also really want to acknowledge the collaboration…when we work together, we really get things done.”

Chair of the Navigators Community Centre Committee of Management, Wayne Austin, welcomed the funding, and said the upgrades would help bring the community together.