Attractive options for Drill Hall

WE REFER to the article Row Over Drill Hall Move (Star, 1 June) and wish to correct the statement regarding the Dandenong Historical Society. The Dandenong Historical Society is not “…very anxious about moving in…” to the Drill Hall.
If we were ever to move we would prefer our collection to be connected to the Dandenong Library, just as the state’s genealogy research centre and newspaper collection are connected with the State Library. This enables people to freely move from one collection to the other and at all hours.
We attended the photo shoot for the article because we do want to see the Drill Hall retained. We believe this building does have a special place in Dandenong’s history. It is a local icon, one of the few remaining buildings in our city with a story to tell. Two of our ideas for its future use are:
1- To see it converted into an adventure experience for all ages with rock climbing walls, rope bridges and ladders, flying foxes and the like. Activities that would get city kids and their parents away from computers, TVs and mobile phones to a place where they could encounter physical challenges, develop their minds, bodies and personal relationships while having fun. We would like to see the back of the building opened up onto the park and turned into a cafe/restaurant where people could lunch overlooking that most beautiful part of the park. The bird life around the Drill Hall is amazing.
2- To see the Drill Hall become an Information Centre and Expo for local products. It could showcase and make known the wealth of manufacturing that is occurring within the Greater Dandenong manufacturing hub. It would be a first point of call for the many travellers who visit our city and an impetus for promoting and growing a tourism industry for the city. This would also have the cafe/restaurant opened out into the park. This site and Hemmings Park are the only two places convenient to the Dandenong CBD where cars with a caravan or trailer can park.
Both of the above concepts would include recognition for the hundreds of soldiers who enlisted and trained at this centre. Many never returned.
We have many other ideas for the future use of the Drill Hall and we invite the people of Dandenong to offer their suggestions as well.
Carmen Powell,
president,
Dandenong Historical Society.
Ray Carter,
vice-president and former president.