Library bookmarked

By Lachlan Ellis

It is one small step for Council; one giant leap for the community, after a long-awaited Council owned community facility for Ballan is now a done deal, well, the site anyway.

Funding to build the Ballan Library and Community Hub should be known before the year is out, after Moorabool Shire Council confirmed they had purchased the old Commonwealth Bank site in Inglis Street, with the sale finalised last Friday.

A Council spokesperson told the Moorabool News the purchase price was $525,000 and “a condition on the sale is that it is to be used for community use.”

Moorabool Mayor Cr Tom Sullivan said Ballan has outgrown its current library in the Ballan Mechanics Institute and pointed to projected population growth as a reason to build a bigger library.

“Ballan’s population is set to grow to 7000 by 2041, making now the perfect time to create this community space for the growing population and turn the hub into a centrepiece of the town,” he said.

“We have plans to redevelop the bank building to boast a larger, contemporary library space, along with community meeting rooms, art exhibition space, maternal and child health services and an extended community courtyard.”

Central Ward Councillor Paul Tatchell requested Council submit an application to the Growing Suburbs Fund (GSF), in Urgent Business, at the October 6 Ordinary Meeting of Council.

The application, totalling $4.25 million, included not only funding for the Ballan Library and Community Hub, but an All-Abilities Playground at the Bacchus Marsh Racecourse Recreation Reserve.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2021-11-23/1

in the 23 November 2021 edition
OR
pick up a paper around your town.