By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Autumn Place Family and Community Centre, once on the backburner, is back on track after a $3.6 million grant from the State Government.
The centre, when built, will be a one-stop shop of a kindergarten, maternal and child health services, community spaces, kitchen, courtyard and outdoor park.
The State Government also announced $2.3 million towards a district-level AFL and cricket oval and pavilion at The Hunt Club in Cranbourne East.
Both projects had been shelved by Casey Council after its application for a variation to rate capping was knocked back by the Essential Services Commission this year.
Casey Mayor Sam Aziz said the state funding “validates” the council’s application for a rate-cap variation.
“As the application was rejected by the State Government the projects could not be funded.
“While the funding announcement is welcomed, such funding will not bridge the cumulative effect of rate capping in future years, and many future projects are still at risk.
“This funding is a start to addressing our infrastructure backlog and, hopefully, is the beginning of further significant investment into the Casey area, particularly into our road and transport network.”
The Autumn Place centre will be jointly funded by Casey council, which contributes $1.075 million.
Casey council will also provide $50,000 with $2 million from developer contributions to the Hunt Club project.
Sean Balfour, chairman of the Doveton Eumemmerring Township Association, said the Autumn Place centre would replace “ageing” and “disjointed” infrastructure.
Currently the library and community spaces in the place are separated by car parks.
“There’s a younger population and a different population moving in,” Mr Balfour said.
“A centralised community space will help us greatly.”
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams, who was at the funding announcement on 21 November, said the Growing Suburbs Fund grant showed the Government was “putting people first”.
Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins said: “The Liberals ignored their needs for four years.”
“In contrast, we’re supporting these growing communities (in outer suburbs) with parks, playgrounds, sporting facilities and community centres.”
In 2015, Casey received more than $5 million from the Growing Suburbs Fund for three projects – the Bridgewater Family Community Centre redevelopment, the Casey Cycling Precinct and the Selandra Integrated Community Centre.
