By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
CLYDE North residents have operated a small community centre out of a display home in Selandra Rise for three years, but $2.5 million from the Victorian Interface Growth Fund will soon change all that.
Minister for Local Government, Natalie Hutchins, announced the grant towards the construction of a $5 million, Selandra Integrated Community Centre, in Clyde North on Monday 21 March.
The City of Casey is matching the grant money of $2.5 million, using a combination of rates and developer contributions and hopes to have construction underway by August.
Casey Mayor Cr Sam Aziz said: “With 120 people moving in each week, the City of Casey needs all the financial help that can be provided, to meet the massive infrastructure backlog.
“The Interface Growth Fund has created the opportunity to bring forward projects, or to free up funds for other significant projects throughout the numerous growth fronts in Casey.”
Anne Callanan, Activities Officer at the “small” Selandra Rise Community Place, on Heather Grove, said ‘locals are very excited,’ about the new centre.
“All the programs and classes we currently run will be moved over once it’s built, and because of the size of where we are now it limits numbers so we will be able to expand,” Ms Callanan said.
The centre will be built on vacant land at the corner of Linsell and Selandra boulevards and will feature environmentally sustainable design concepts and a place for community service organisations to connect.
Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins said building vital community facilities is “so important” in areas like Casey.
“I’m always shocked at the growing population of Casey,” Ms Hutchins said.
“This centre will provide essential community activities and services.”
The City of Casey projects that 190,000 extra people will call Casey home in the next 25 years – the equivalent of two times the capacity of the MCG.
