By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong Council has allayed fears that the long-awaited Dandenong Community Hub will be ‘childless’.
In a meeting on 13 September, councillors voted for its draft concept plan to specifically include a kindergarten, child-care and playground.
The proposed facility, fronting Clow Street between Stuart Street and Sleeth Avenue, is shaping as an intergenerational hub with ‘the works’.
It would include maternal and child health, community meeting rooms, maker’s spaces, community lounge, kitchen and outdoor space, multi-use flexible spaces for all ages and abilities, co-work spaces and technology hub and a cafe.
In the lead-up, council officers would not confirm or deny if childrens’ services were in the mix.
Cr Rhonda Garad said it was important to have childrens services to create a “meeting place where everyone is welcome”.
“We know that where children are, parents will come (and) community will come. It becomes an intergenerational gathering place.
“This is incredibly important for the cohesion of our community, to welcome people at various stages of arrival.”
Cr Jim Memeti, who proposed the hub in 2020, said it would help bring together an influx of residents in central Dandenong over the next 12 years.
The hub would help address Dandenong’s “completely outdated” public meeting rooms, and a lack of activities outside “being a shopping and central business district”.
In opposition, Cr Sean O’Reilly said the busy site near Dandenong Market was the wrong location for child care and kindergarten.
“There’s no correlation between Dandenong Market and child care. The only thing I can think of is Bananas in Pyjamas – that’s how ridiculous it is.”
Cr O’Reilly said the move was at odds with State Government’s push to co-locate early childhood education at primary schools.
He said the “elevation” of child care and kindergarten would compromise other features such as quality meeting rooms.
It would require community outdoor space to be “locked up” as early-years play space.
Dandenong Community Association spokesperson Silvia Mastrogiovanni welcomed the inclusion of a kindergarten, childcare and a public playground like “other community hubs are getting”.
The hub needed to fit Dandenong’s needs and growth over the next 40 years, she said.
“Not only was it made clear last night that within eight years there will be a shortage of kindergarten services in Dandenong but … those features are essential for it to be a successful community heart.
“What we also do know is that Dandenong will soon have four times the population of Keysborough South (so) Dandenong needs a community hub bigger than Keysborough South.”
The central location between Dandenong Market and Dandenong Plaza was the “best location” that would have “high visibility for new residents”.
“It’s more than about time the basic human needs for community connection and sense of belonging were afforded to Dandy residents.”
Ms Mastrogiovanni said the community was awaiting concept designs and artist impressions. Only then would the community be able to effectively have a say on the project.
“In a community where many residents have limited English visual communication is the most effective form of communication.”
After community consultation, a business case will be presented to the council to vote on the project.
Cr Lana Formoso urged the council to consult across the broader community’s diverse languages and nationalities.
“I’d really, really love to see the input from the community members we’re providing this for.”
