Green light for civic precinct

A STATE-of-the-art civic, community and activity precinct at Fountain Gate has been given the green light.
City of Casey officials and mayor Colin Butler were thrilled with the news, which was handed down last week by Planning Minister Justin Madden.
Approval for the proposed multimillion-dollar Casey Activity Centre was put on hold for almost two years after first being raised in September 2005.
But the Minister’s approval now means designs and plans for the centre, to be situated on council-owned land near Westfield Fountain Gate, can now be finalised.
Cr Butler expressed his pleasure with the final decision.
“I led a delegation to meet with the Minister in April, and he was very supportive of council’s initiative, which seeks to capture the value of the council land and use it to fund a range of civic facilities,” he said.
“I am looking forward to the expression of interest stage commencing later this year, following final consultation with community focus groups regarding the civic facilities.
“This is a very exciting project which will not only enhance the civic facilities through capturing the value of the council land, but it will also introduce some of the urban forms envisaged by the structure plan,” Cr Butler said.
A new library, art gallery, performing arts centre will also be included in the proposal.