Community services to join boating hub

Community services to join boating hub

City of Melbourne has approved funding for a Docklands family services facility ahead of its 2013-2014 budget deliberations.

At a council meeting on March 26 councillors endorsed a proposal to work with Places Victoria and Lend Lease to finalise the design and estimate for the integration of a family services centre into the planned community boating hub in Victoria Harbour.

Because the facility will be built as part of the Docklands Library and Community Centre project, Lend Lease required council to commit funding for the facility by the end of March.

Council confirmed it would commit $2.1 million to the project in addition to the $1.5 million it committed to the boating hub in May last year.

Councillor Stephen Mayne said he was a strong supporter of the investment because council was a minority contributor to the total spend for the facility.

The estimated cost of the facility is $8.5 million, with council committing $3.6 million to the project.

Cr Mayne said there was a significant backlog of community infrastructure needed in Docklands and also a need to activate the water, both of which would be addressed by the project.

Docklands’ family services program currently operates at both The Hub and The Harbour Family and Children’s Centre.

The lease for The Hub expires at the end of June and can only be extended for three years.

The new facility will allow the program to be consolidated into one location close to other community services. It will be home to the Melbourne Outrigger Canoe Club, Victorian Dragonboat Association and the Docklands Yacht Club.

Melissa O’Brien, from Dragon Boat Victoria, said the group welcomed the inclusion of family services in the facility.

“This is an exciting project and Dragon Boat Victoria is looking forward to the design consultation process,” Ms O’Brien said.

Join Our Facebook Group