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“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-