WERRIBEE South ratepayers are warning Wyndham Council not to overspend on upgrading Diggers Road Soldiers Memorial Hall if it is not structurally sound.
The council has allocated $460,000 for hall upgrades in its 2011-12 budget, and announced plans to proceed at last week’s council meeting.
It has reported that the hall does not meet the needs of the community, with residents are unhappy with its condition.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY TO POST A COMMENT.
The Werribee South Ratepayers Association said the hall’s foundations were deteriorating and that money would be better spent on a new hall to benefit the community.
President Con Christo said the community was not against money being spent on the hall, but wanted to ensure the council was spending money wisely.
“We don’t see the value in spending a huge amount if the foundations of the hall aren’t up to standard,” he said.
“We want a commitment [from the council] that they are sure the foundations and actual structure of the walls are sound.”
Mr Christo said the community had lobbied for a new centre, closer to the township, for many years, and hoped the council would consider building a multipurpose centre at Price Reserve.
But the council does not consider Price Reserve a suitable location for a new hall.
It has agreed to start planning for a new centre in 2014 or 2015, at a yet to be decided location.
Iramoo ward’s Cr John Menegazzo said the council’s decision to upgrade the Diggers Road hall while a new centre was designed would meet the community’s short and long term needs.
“While we can’t do anything about the geographically-isolated location of the Diggers Road Memorial Hall, we can make it as welcoming and usable as possible until firm plans are drawn up for a new facility,” he said.
“Werribee South is a unique part of Wyndham, with zoning limiting population growth.
Cr Menegazzo said that with the emergence of Wyndham Harbour, a $440million marina and residential development, the population was likely to rise from 1800 residents to more than 2500. “This rise will hasten the need for a new community facility closer to the foreshore area.”
