By Ethan Benedicto
As of 2021, Cranbourne North is home to 24,683 residents and is predicted to grow to 26,000 by the end of this year.
With so many people, it seems timely for Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre to open its doors to everyone.
On Saturday 14 October, residents can come to experience what the centre has to offer on their open day, including tours, children’s services, free food, an animal farm, and local emergency services such as SES, police and ambulance members and Neighbourhood Watch Casey making an appearance.
The Casey Camera Club is also hosting a stall, with a free family photograph available on the day.
Running from 10.30am to 1.30 pm, centre manager Michelle Davidson said that the day is just a taste of what they can do for the community.
“It’s an opportunity for residents who haven’t been to a community centre before to just pop in,” she said.
Making it as fun and inclusive as possible, Ms Davidson hopes to show exactly what the centre can offer the residents of Cranbourne North, that it’s not just a centre for the community, but a centre shaped by the community as well.
“If there’s a group that’s looking to do a gardening club, we’ve got a community garden, and if there’s a group that would like to get out of the house and spend some time here, we’ve got the drop-in room,” she said.
While small and humble, the centre has a wide range of amenities available for use by everyone.
Appealing to the kids has also been a large role that the centre plays, with before and after- school care running from 9.30 am to 2.30 pm Monday to Friday, and school holiday activities such as the Lynbrook Lightning Football Club holding a footy clinic.
Hosting computer and English classes as frequently as Monday to Thursday, Ms Davidson said the centre aims to provide people with services which are accessible, but also something that participants can shape.
“For example, if we have members saying they want to do a Xero class, we get a few inquiries going, we get a trainer and then we run the class,” she said.
For the centre’s committee management and Michelle, there is an emphasis on listening to what the people want and catering to those ideas as best as they can, with the centre making these decisions possible.
Having lived in Japan for a few years and in Belgium for a number of years, Ms Davidson knows what it’s like to not know anything about the place you’re meant to call home.
“We have a lot of Afghani women who are studying English here, so we provide for them and currently there’s a strong demand for English and computer classes and that’s what we’re delivering,” she said.
“We can be anything and the services we offer are directed by the Cranbourne North community.
“We’re welcoming, we’re inclusive, our doors are always open.”
Ms Davidson said there is a focus on the people which make up the centre and the community it supports.
“The centre is smaller, less formal, people give us the ideas, we can start to market it and then get the right hands to start running it,” she said.
“We’re a volunteer committee who are all local residents giving up their time for the centre and the open day is a chance to show people we’re here.”
For more information about the services on offer, visit www.merindapark.com.au
