Garage sheds its image

By Bridget Brady
A DOUBLE garage at a Junction Village retirement village will get a $37,000 facelift to become an official Men’s Shed.
Men at Botanic Gard- ens Retirement Village have been working inthe space for years, making toys for underprivileged children and using it as anopportunity to make new friends and improve their skills.
Now, a $37,502 grant through the State Government’s Men’s Shed program will allow an upgrade to extend the invitation out to the wider community.
Cranbourne MP JudePerera said the group, now called the Men’s Shed Junction Village, would partner with the Cranbourne RSL, Salvation Army and Botanic Gardens.
“I congratulate local resident Mr Les Smith, who came to see me full of passion and determination in getting this initiative up and funded,” Mr Perera said.
Mr Perera said the Men’s Shed would become a community asset and encouraged local men to join.
“This upgraded Men’s Shed will give oldermen in the area a relaxed place to learn new skillswhile working on projects that provide practicalbenefits to the local community – such as fixing tables and chairs at the local school.”
Mr Smith said men had been supplying toys for the Salvation Army for many years and he was excited about the upcoming development, which would give the men much more room to make the toys.
He said many other community organisations and businesses had jumped on board and were behind the Men’s Shed.