By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
TWO not-for-profit welfare agencies have called for Greater Dandenong Council to save the former Dandenong library in Stuart Street as a community space.
Dandenong Benevolent Society and Dandenong Citizens Advisory Bureau, which assist the region’s most hard-up, told the Journal that they could be complementary co-tenants of the site as part of a greater community hub.
The building’s future is being reviewed by Greater Dandenong Council, whose preference is to demolish and convert the site into a car park for the expanding Dandenong Market.
The library closed just ahead of the nearby municipal building project’s opening in March.
Benevolent society president Margaret Ladner said the charity needed to move to a bigger space at the library site.
She said it barely had enough space at its Thomas Street op-shop to wrap up toys for its Christmas gift drive.
The move would also reduce the need for elderly volunteers having to lug goods from a church storage space across town.
“We could work great together with the DCAB. We’d complement each other – they could refer people to us to get material assistance. It’d be a marvellous idea.
“Why tear the building down? The CAB and us are willing to pay the rent.”
Jinny McGrath, who heads the DCAB, said the library site could be a key part of a community services precinct including the nearby Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre in the former council offices in Clow Street and Dandenong Neighbourhood House.
She said the council could divert funds from a planned renovation of the bureau’s current Foster Street East home – which she said is too hard for clients to find.
“It starts the concept of a community precinct which makes it much easier for people in the community in terms of integrating services.
“It would make our service much more accessible. For instance, it would make it easier for clients referred from the SMRC to find their way here.
“One of the hardest things for people is to find where services are and then getting to them.”
Dandenong Community Association, which launched a petition to save the library building, supports the agencies’ bids.
“These organisations will provide more value to the community than a car park ever will,” co-founder Silvia Mastrogiovanni said.
The agencies face an uphill battle, with a majority of councillors in favour of a market car park on the site.
Cr John Kelly said the market – “the council’s biggest asset” – was desperately in need of parking.
He said the market expansion – including an outdoor al fresco dining area – would return an estimated $400,000 extra annual profit to the council.
“We’ve got a number of groups interested but we will get a greater return to ratepayers if we get this food court happening at the market.
“If we didn’t have that market making $1-2 million a year, our rates would be 1-2 per cent higher.”
He said the agencies could move into the partly vacant former council offices in Clow Street as an alternative.
Ironically, the council is campaigning for more resources for such agencies which are being swamped by the waves of needy asylum seekers and refugees.
Councillor Matthew Kirwan, who opposes the demolition, said: “It’s (strange) when we create a plan to assist community groups and agencies with the huge number of asylum seekers but plan to demolish a building that community groups and agencies could use to help them.”
The council review is expected to be completed this month.
