Oakgrove Community Centre president Rod Charles said it– Rebecca Fraser
THREE community groups want to set up a permanent home in Narre Warren South but there is no room to accommodate them.
That is the view of Casey councillor Michael Farley and the Oakgrove Community Centre, who have called on council to fund an extension to house the Narre Warren South Guides, Casey Scouts and the Berwick Air League.
The funding call comes amid claims that council missed the opportunity to apply for a $50,000 State Government grant that could have helped pay for the $200,000 extension.
At last Tuesday’s council meeting, Cr Farley moved that $200,000 for an extension of the Oakgrove Community Centre be referred for consideration to the 2006/07 Capital Works Program, with all available Cell P development funds utilised for the project.
The motion also moved that a report and plans into the proposed extension be brought to council’s budget weekend.
In a further motion fellow Springfield Ward councillor Lorraine Wreford moved that a report come back to the first council meeting in May 2006 investigating existing meeting venues within Narre Warren South and Narre Warren.
Cr Farley then moved that Oakgrove Community Centre Committee of Management president Rod Charles and any appropriate committee members be invited to the next general purposes committee to discuss the operation of the centre.
Mr Charles said the centre was seeking an eight-metre extension to their multi-purpose room to accommodate the three new groups who wanted to set up home at Oakgrove Community Centre.
He said the centre also desperately needed more storage space, as at the moment it only had “broom cupboards.”
Mr Charles said Casey Council knew that up to $50,000 was available as part of the modernising neighbourhood house program but missed the 24 February deadline for the State Government grant.
He collected 288 signatures in just three days supporting the extension and these were also presented at last Tuesday’s council meeting.
Cr Farley said it was important to promote life skills among Casey’s young people and he was keen to see the three groups set up home at Oakgrove.
Casey manager youth and community development Janette Green said council had applied for a number of projects under the modernising neighbourhood house program as determined by council.
She said Oakgrove Community Centre had received two extensions, funded by both Casey and the State Government in recent years and council always had to deal with competing priorities and always consider the whole picture.
