BY Christine de Kock
YARRAVILLE Community Centre is upping the ante in its campaign to save the centre from possible closure.
Centre users and organisers began lobbying the council and the Government in August to keep the operation going despite a desperate need for structural improvements.
A group of campaigners attended last Tuesday’s Maribyrnong City Council meeting, calling on councillors to declare their commitment to the project. They presented councillors with a petition of 1000 signatures, which called for the building to continue operating.
The council gave in-principle support to the redevelopment of the centre, which is subject to funding from the State Government, the owner of the building.
Both councillor Michael Clarke and mayor Janet Rice said the centre was a community icon.
Cr Clarke said the council would work tirelessly to maintain 100 years of Australian history and Cr Rice said the council had “absolute commitment” to keeping the facility open.
The council issued a media release later in the week saying “funding submissions will be prepared to relevant federal and state authorities and other organisations to spur on the process, in addition to joint council and Yarraville Community Centre representation to the Premier and relevant ministers”.
The Yarraville Community Centre site was established as a school in 1889, and the centre took over the building in 1976.
An independent report commissioned by the council found the building had a number of structural problems such as an unstable front wall, cracking, uneven floors and falling plasterwork.
The council predicts that $3 million to $5 million is needed to bring the building up to scratch.
Seddon resident James Styles has launched his own campaign Save Yarraville Community Centre.
A member of the ALP Kingsville branch, Mr Styles issued a media release lashing out at independent councillor Janis Rossiter and Greens mayor Janet Rice for being “not fair dinkum about Saving YCC”.
He supplied his name and number and the name of somebody he said used the centre. But that person denied having heard of Mr Styles’ group and did not want to be associated with it.
The centre’s manager, Christine McCall, would not comment on the media release but she said it did not come from Yarraville Community Centre Inc.
However, Ms McCall was included in the council’s media release in which she was quoted as saying the centre would work in partnership with the council to keep it open.
“We have started a community campaign to inform the community and to gain their support,” she said.
“So far, we have distributed over 2000 postcards, sent out letters asking for support to both past and present community centre members and petitions with over 1000 signatures were given to councillors at the 19 September council meeting.
“We will continue to work with our community and council to campaign for funding to ensure the long term viability of the centre.”
