Edenhope Community Centre moves forward with new funding
Published on 19 May 2020
The Edenhope and District Community Centre is now closer to completion after new funding from the state government.
Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes announced last week that the Edenhope and District Community Centre will receive $333,000 as part of the state government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund.
The funding will be facilitated through Regional Development Victoria.
With construction on the centre now complete, West Wimmera Shire Council mayor Bruce Meyer said the new funding would be spent on the fit out of the building.
“This will enable the centre to be effectively used as an educational hub, business incubator, library, function space and community centre,” he said.
The money will go towards fit out items such as a commercial kitchen, library shelves, telecommunication and audio visual equipment, a stage and dance floor in the function room, retractable dividing walls, air conditioning and a photovoltaic solar system.
Cr Meyer said the new funding would make a huge difference to the centre.
“These fit out items were things that we had always envisioned for this project and this funding ensures they will now become a reality,” he said.
“The community centre will be an asset for Edenhope. It will create a place for locals to gather and celebrate. It will also bring many long-term health and wellbeing benefits to the broader West Wimmera community.”
The project also received $700,000 from the federal government’s Drought Communities Program, and $600,000 from the state government’s living libraries program. The funding went towards the buildings construction.
The Edenhope community continues with their fundraising efforts. The community has done a great job fundraising, and those funds were key in securing the grant. The community’s goal is not yet achieved, and there will be some additional fundraising activities to further assist with the project’s completion.
Cr Meyer encouraged the community to keep raising money for the centre to ensure it became a place that residents could truly be proud of.