By Bonny Burrows
It’s been a long time coming, but Cardinia Shire Council has announced works will finally begin on the Emerald Hills Hub.
The multi-million dollar hub has been highly anticipated within the community for more than a decade but has suffered numerous setbacks, particularly over the past three years due to planning disagreements.
However, the appointment of MelbCon to construct the multi-million dollar hub signals a huge step forward in the project, which will see a range of community services become integrated under the one roof.
The hub will house health and counselling services, a radio station, an arts space and local tourism among other services, to support the Emerald and surrounding communities.
The facility will be located in a renovated Emerald library and Mechanics Hall precinct and a new building, to be built in the space currently occupied by the town’s Men’s Shed and U3A building.
Worrell Reserve, of which the precinct will border, is expected to be a construction site “for a couple of years” while works, which will also include the resurface of the oval and a new sports pavilion, are carried out.
At its 11 December council meeting, during which the contractor was appointed, Cardinia Shire councillors acknowledged the project’s long delay but said it was a major development with many stakeholders who needed to be consulted.
“This process has been quite a long one and a very detailed one dating back 12 years,” Ranges Ward councillor Leticia Wilmot said.
Fellow Ranges Ward councillor and Deputy Mayor Brett Owen said “extensive consultation and engagement” had occurred on the project, and “approximately 20 community groups have been regularly meeting”.
“This is one of the biggest engagement processes the council has undertaken,” Cr Owen said.
While there had been some community concern about the way the project was handled and the design that was chosen, the deputy mayor said he was “confident this was the best way forward”.
“Emerald and the hills community deserve this building. It will be a quality building that has access for all, which is really important,” Cr Owen said.
It is expected many community groups, including the Men’s Shed of about 50 members and the U3A of an estimated 330 members, will take advantage of the new facilities.
Cr Jeff Springfield, who is also an Emerald resident, said as a community member he was looking forward to using the building.
