A community group leader says a halved-down Dandenong Community Hub will not meet community needs.
Greater Dandenong councillors were set to vote on 8 December on whether to scale-down what is an “oversized” and over-budget Hub, according to a council officers’ report.
After rounds of community co-design workshops, the Hub’s current design has been re-estimated to cost $65 million – plus a basement car park up to $15 million.
This far exceeds the initial $30 million budget.
The council proposes shrinking the building size from 3950 square metres to about 1800 square metres – the same size as the recently-opened Keysborough Community Hub.
It might also be redrawn as a multi-storey building, with possible ground-level parking.
Dandenong Community Association (DCA) spokesperson Silvia Mastrogiovanni said the council was disrespecting and ignoring the community wishes.
“If the hub design needs to be re-examined it needs to be done with the community as councils are there to serve the community.
“And the Dandenong community shouldn’t be short-changed with a facility not built for the future.
She said Dandenong’s Hub should not be tailored to the same size as the Keysborough facility – given the population disparity.
Dandenong’s needs were more in line with the larger-sized Springvale Community Hub, she said.
“Go to the community lounge (jargon for free informal space in a community hub) of the Springvale Community Hub after school and you get a better idea of the need of a low-income, multicultural community for a large amount of informal space.
“It’s full!”
Mastrogiovanni said more open space was needed for the Hub’s playground, given the growing number of townhouses and apartments in Dandenong.
And that residents were in favour of a single-storey space without a basement car park.
“This is not just for cost reasons but because there is plenty of space and that multi-level car parks in Dandenong already deter older residents and women for safety reasons.”
She called for the council to allocate a larger space – the entire block bounded by King, Clow and Stuart streets and Sleeth Avenue.
“We have never been told the truth about why the whole site can’t be used and why Dandenong residents’ needs are not being treated as the priority.”
Greater Dandenong Council has indicated a possible conflict with an expanded Hub footprint and its Dandenong Market precinct plan – which has yet to be publicly released.
According to a council officer’s report, Dandenong is “already well served for community spaces, and a hub of a more modest scale is more appropriate and financially sustainable”.
More on the story, turn to page 2.
