by Sahar Foladi
The long-awaited Dandenong Community Hub (DCH) project appeared set to be “killed off” in a council meeting closed to the public on Monday 8 July.
A ‘procurement update’ for the DCH and another major capital project the Dandenong Wellbeing Centre (DWC) were listed as a confidential agenda item. A vote on it was deferred to a future council meeting after a fiery debate by councillors.
Council officers recommended that the council revise the hub’s concept design to “align with the budget allowed for in Council’s Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP)” potentially scrapping four years of consultations and concept designs.
Councillor Tim Dark indicated the “kill(ing) off” of the project behind closed doors at the council meeting was not in the best interest of the ratepayers.
“There’s a lot of councillors who’ve had serious objections to it (the project) and have not supported the project. But if you’re going to kill off a project at least have the courage to do it in public view so that your residents know how you voted and whether you voted to kill off a project that is important for the growth of future generations.”
The Dandenong Wellbeing Centre, so far estimated at nearly $100 million, is expected to cost more than that. However it’s “inappropriate” for the council to comment on the final costing as they’re part-way through the procurement process according to the council’s City Futures executive director Sanjay Manivasagasivam.
Councillor Rhonda Garad says it had been proposed that $30 million of hub funds will be “transferred” to cover the DWC cost blowout.
“That $30 million they’re transferring from the hub, you’ll never get that back,” Cr Garad told Star Journal.
“This is a massive financial black hole. I fear for what it’ll do to the long-term financial costs of the council.”
Regarding the proposed hub redesign, Cr Garad said council officers “want a building with just a meeting room”.
“They want to take all the community hub element out, take out the kinder, take the car parks, and they want to gut it so much that it’s not a community hub.
“They’re fooling us through the implication that it’s the same design when it’s not.
“I’m absolutely outraged on behalf of the community that have been lied to, used really, that all of their efforts have come to nothing,” Councillor Garad told Star Journal.
“I think this is the most cynical act I’ve seen on my four years on council.”
She fears once the DWC – a replacement for the Oasis aquatic centre – is built, the costs “would be just phenomenal.”
“For a low income suburb with low swimming participation, to spend millions on one swimming pool while gutting a project that would have higher participation and is more geared towards our municipality, to me is discriminatory.
“The business plan of the pool shows it’s not going to be residents attending the pool, it’s others coming in from neighbouring areas.”
However, Mr Manivasagasivam says the council is expected to spend $30 million on the hub “with the majority of costs budgeted over the 2025-26 and 2027 financial years.”
“The concept design for the Dandenong Community Hub has been progressing towards finalisation through a community co-design process.
“We have received an architects’ report and will come back to the community in due course about next steps towards finalising the concept design.”
Dandenong Community Association (DCA) spokesperson Silvia Mastrogiovanni has been a long advocate for a Dandenong hub for more than a decade.
“We need a point of connection in Dandenong. We’ve waited patiently while the other towns (in Greater Dandenong) got it. Yet we are always dragged and now they want to do this behind closed doors?
“We’ve waited four years, we’re exhausted, we’ve had to push hard all the way to have a say in Dandenong, why?” Ms Mastrogiovanni said.
“I cry for our lack of democracy in our city towards the residents of Dandenong.”
According to the agenda item, a further report “will be forthcoming recommending the revised timing” and process for community engagement.
Ms Mastrogiovanni now fears residents of Dandenong won’t see any community hub built and if the hub is built, “it won’t be a functional hub for the community like the Keysborough and Springvale.”
“We love the Keysborough South Hub. We just need the same but bigger because we’re twice the size in population here.”
The Dandenong Community Hub was one of Cr Jim Memeti’s major 2020 council election promises. He has spoken up in council in support of both the hub and the wellbeing centre projects.
“Council shouldn’t be throwing their arms up in the air saying we don’t have money. We should have a plan in place and find the funds to deliver these vital projects,” Cr Memeti said.
“These are long-term residents that deserve a high-quality hub like the Keysborough Community Hub. Nearly all the other suburbs have it, why should Dandenong residents suffer?
“We’ve reached a certain milestone but it’s a lot of constant battle and it’s becoming tiresome.
“How much fighting do we have to do? It’s one hurdle after another and it’s not fair to our community.”
Cr Memeti blames the unfortunate “post-Covid realm” of skyrocketing prices “over budget and over time” infecting council projects, which has added pressures across all levels of government and especially local government.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my 20 years on council.
“Council has dealt with huge projects before. We’ve built community hubs before, always on time and on budget.”
While acknowledging the council’s financial position and post-Covid challenges, he is also championing for both projects to be carried out, emphasising the long-term social, mental and financial benefits the hub may bring.
“Let’s get the work done and let’s see what happens because governments do have different funding at different times.
“We can argue that this is a vital piece of asset to the community especially with cost of living, mental health, family violence. This is where community hub can relieve the pressure off Federal and State Government funded services in the long run.
“Let’s have a plan but don’t desert it or leave it halfway.”
The item was deferred to the next council meeting on Monday 22 July after Councillors Rhonda Garad and Tim Dark stood to oppose closing the meeting to the public.
Council’s chief executive officer Jacqui Weatherill promised to “provide a report in the next meeting outlining the timelines” for the next co-design workshop.
