Pyrenees Shire

“It’s been quite a success since open- ing in 2016”, says Jim about the Cen- tre. “It’s reflective of the type of facili- ty that Pyrenees has established in a number of small towns, with popula- tions of less than 1,000 generally and often of 300. Having a quality commu- nity facility has been very important in those communities to maintain some community pride and provide an op- portunity for community activities to occur. In this case, it also enabled an aged facility to be demolished. It was really important that instead of adding to our infrastructure, we replaced the old for the new.” The $631,000 project was complet- ed with financial assistance from the state and federal governments as well as Council and the Avoca Communi- ty Bank. In fact, $10,000 was contrib- uted by the Community Bank for the community of 240 individuals, a sig- nificant undertaking which showcases the level of interest in the new centre. The centre is a multi-use facility that provides a hub for a range of activi- ties, including sports and community events. Moreover, it provides a space for use by the adjoining local prima- ry school. Since opening in 2016, the centre has been well-utilized and the response has been extremely positive. Engaging with local businesses Of course, this was not the only time the Council engaged the community in an infrastructure project. The Moon- ambel Water Supply Project has seen a similar level of engagement, for in- stance. There, the Council partnered with Central Highlands Water to un- dertake a feasibility study to ascertain which option would be ideal to ensure a stable supply of water to the region. Prior to that, they conducted a survey of businesses and residents to see if there was significant interest in pro- ceeding with such a project or not. The feasibility study suggested that a pipeline would be the most suita-