By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Proponents are “shocked” and “angered” that a future Dandenong Community Hub may not cater for children.
To date, Greater Dandenong council’s community services director Martin Fidler has not confirmed or denied whether children’s services are part of the mix.
Dandenong Community Association spokesperson Silvia Mastrogiovanni said suspicions were raised when the council raised an option for a double-storey building with no room for a playground.
“By leaving out children’s services the hub will no longer be a central meeting place for all ages and cultures in Dandenong.
“Why would they leave us with a white elephant and forget Dandy kids and their families?”
At a demonstration of numbers by parents and kids in Dandenong, Ms Mastrogiovanni said there was a projected need for more childrens’ services.
The council’s own predictions estimate 1084 more children aged 0-4 in Dandenong by 2030, requiring hundreds of extra kinder and long day care places as well as maternal and child health services.
The DCA is pushing for a hub larger than the 14,500-square-metre Keysborough South Community Hub – which serves a population less than a quarter of Dandenong’s projected 52,000 by 2030.
The council has proposed sites on Stuart Street of about 2000-square-metres.
The DCA say the hub should also contain meeting rooms, exercise spaces, informal unbooked spaces such as a community lounge, a commercial kitchen, outdoor playground, ‘wet’ arts room, toy library, community garden, café, amphitheatre and dedicated car park.
Greater Dandenong councillors will be presented with options – including the services offered, the size and locations of the hub – at a private briefing session on 19 July.
Greater Dandenong mayor Angela Long said “everything will be on the table” during the presentation.
She noted a current “over-abundance” of children’s services in Dandenong, though the suburb’s population was expected to soar over the next decade.
“We’ve got to look at future-proofing our area but there’s an overabundance of four-year kinder spaces at the moment.”
The council’s “position” is expected to be presented to a public council meeting in August, followed by a concept plan and business case.
Mr Fidler said the council had completed the first stage of consultations to develop a business case and concept plan.
It included community views as well as research on future demographics, service demands and an “evidenced-based approach to infrastructure planning”.
“We expect to have further consultation and engagement with the community in September when it is planned for the draft concept plan to be placed on public display prior to finalising the business case and concept plan in November 2021.”
