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Community feedback and information sessions about Swan Hill's proposed new Our Place building will start this Saturday.
At the Special Council Meeting last night, Swan Hill Rural City Council agreed to:
- Receive two petitions from the community about Our Place.
- Carry out additional community engagement.
- Investigate the feasibility of locating Our Place outside the Pioneer Settlement, on the land currently occupied by Spoons Restaurant, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery and the associated carparking area.
- Request the CEO prepare for the March Ordinary Council Meeting a report on the petitions' requests, the outcomes of the engagement program and the investigation into the feasibility of an alternative site.
Mayor Bill Moar encouraged community members to come to the sessions.
"We have been hearing strong and varied opinion on Our Place. As we consider our response to these petitions, we want to give everyone in the community the chance to learn more and tell us their thoughts," Cr Moar said.
"If you have a view - either for or against - we would love to hear directly from you. We'd also love to talk to people who might want to get the facts before forming their view."
Cr Moar said Council would investigate the alternative site, and was interested to hear the community's views on that as well.
"When planning for Our Place, Council engaged an independent investigation of five proposed sites. From that, the current proposed site at the Settlement was identified as having the greatest potential," he said.
"At the time, the other sites were discounted for a range of reasons, including ownership of these sites, the cost to demolish or relocate existing buildings and the strategic advantages that co-locating services on the Pioneer Settlement site offers to our community.
"The option that was proposed at our meeting this week has not been investigated in any detail yet."
The five community information and feedback sessions will include a presentation from Cr Moar and a member of Council's executive team. There will be a question and answer session, and then a chance to speak directly with Councillors about your views. Sessions will run for at least one hour.
- Saturday, 15 February, 2pm - Swan Hill Regional Library
- Monday, 17 February, 7pm - Swan Hill Regional Library
- Wednesday, 19 February, 12pm - Swan Hill Anglican Church, corner Splatt and McCallum streets.
- Friday, 21 February, 7.15am - Swan Hill Club
- Tuesday, 25 February, 6pm - Swan Hill Club
Tea and coffee will be available at each session. Croissants will also be served at the early morning session on 21 February.
There will also be a Coffee with a Councillor session on Saturday, 29 February at the Riverside Park adventure playground from 10am until 12pm, giving people another chance to talk to Councillors about the project.
