SORRENTO COMMUNITY CENTRE REFURBISHMENT OPENING
Cr Tim Rodgers – Good evening everyone, I have with me Cr Hugh Fraser, my co Nepean Ward councillor, and Deputy Mayor Cr Graham Pittock from Seawinds Ward next door.
Hugh had to speak at a Disability Mapping forum in Rye on Wednesday and, in the way we run our Nepean ward as a partnership we agreed that I should speak this evening.
We are delighted to welcome you all to this the official re opening of the renovated and refurbished Sorrento Community centre which, with its large attached sporting hall, is an asset for the whole of the Nepean Ward community – Blairgowrie, Portsea, Rye and Sorrento townships – we may also get a new township for the community – Nepean township at Pt Nepean Quarantine Station – if the State government manages to sort out its own mind as to what to do with this fantastic and but neglected asset.
I should add that this year Council has in hand the money and historic landscaping works required for Police Point next door to the Quarantine Station – which we should like to call Police Point Road – with its newly renovated respite cottages – now three in operation and the fourth with its arts program as we speak and we have exciting plans for the establishment of a permanent Council board for oversight of Police Point Road. So Council is doing its bit but our neighbour next door – the State Government at the Quarantine Station – is not.
I’d like to commence by acknowledging the elders, families and forbearers of the Boonwurrung/Bunurong tribe, the Kulin, who were the custodians of this land for many centuries. We acknowledge that the land on which we meet was the place of age-old ceremonies, of celebrations, initiation and renewal; and that the Kulin peoples’ living culture had, and continues to have, a unique role in the life of this region.
We should also like to extend a special welcome, to this their own home so to speak -indeed a new home – to Helen Gleeson, it’s very able Chairperson of the Sorrento Community Centre Board and its manager Tracy Trueman, and all the members of the Board.
The invitation list this evening is eclectic, so eclectic, when Hugh and I discussed this recently we were quite unsure as to the selection process we had applied when we first discussed this function some months ago. So anyone left out is quite unintentional!!
Having said that, we would also like to welcome the representatives of the various sporting groups associated with the MacFarlane Reserve and their committee members, and Steve Casper from the Sorrento Football Club
Welcome to you all.
The Sorrento Community Centre is an integral part of the local Sorrento community.
Not only does it provide several meeting spaces, a sports stadium/hall, a computer room and an arts room, it also helps with community building and strengthening by providing opportunities for learning, socialising and community connection.
It would also be a delight if a book reading club and library could be formed here as well.
And of course, it also hosts important support services including maternal and child health and early childhood learning.
The Centre was originally constructed in 2003 and provided a wonderful new, modern facility for our community.
Over time, management and regular users identified a number of opportunities to improve the functionality, comfort and safety of the building and architectural firm Baade-Harbour Australia was engaged to investigate opportunities and develop detailed plans and specifications for the improvement work.
Council approved a budget allocation of $250,000 to implement these improvement works in the 2014/15 capital works budget which works have been overseen by our project engineer Jarrod Filosa.
Over recent months, Jarrod Filosa from the Shire has overseen the work which has included:
- improvements to create the large airy heater bright meeting space (converting the old hall stage which was never used except with difficulty),
- alterations to the staff office and reception areas – comfortable and convenient for the very able staff , and
- the installation of mechanical heating and cooling services and
- reworking of the main entrance to provide a more effective air lock to reduce cold draughts – creating a splendid new entrance space
There has also been some minor civil works leading to the main entrance to meet updated disability access requirements.
Congratulations to Jarrod and to the council officers and contractors who have worked closely with Helen, Tracy and the Community Centre Staff to achieve this outstanding result to meet the needs of our community for many years to come.
Now we have to move on bringing up to international sporting standard and renovating the Hall itself to maximize its potential for the community and its spouting clubs.
We should also like to announce that Council in the Budget for this year as allocated an additional $250,000 allocated to our Sporting Pavilion Strategy for renovations and upgrades and that agreement has been now reached between the Sorrento Football Club and the Shire as to the work required for the renovations and upgrade to the Pavilion which can now be accelerated within that Strategy. Detailed drawings are now being prepared by the Club.
Finally, I should like to thank our fantastic Councillor Support Staff – Tracie, Jess, and Christine who have put this event together this evening and with the caterers, looked after us so well this evening.
I’d now like to ask Byron Douglas, Acting Manager of Recreation and Leisure to say a few words as to the resources provided by the Shire to assist the various sporting clubs.
But before I do so, we would like to declare the updated Sorrento Community Centre open!