The Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney, today officiated at the formal opening of the upgraded Allansford Mechanics Hall.
“Allansford, which is located about 11 kilometres east of Warrnambool, is experiencing significant residential and commercial growth,” Ms Tierney said.
“Allansford Mechanics Hall, which was built in 1911 and had barely been improved since, lacked basic meeting room functions and had poor accessibility, greatly limiting its use.
“Redeveloping the hall on Ziegler Parade has allowed for increased usage by community groups and other residents of Allansford and the surrounding region.”
The project involved:
• building a new supper / meeting room;
• building an adjoining kitchen and storage areas;
• building a new veranda and new accessible entrance;
• building new accessible toilet facilities connected via a rain water tank; and
• landscaping the site.
Ms Tierney said the hall’s upgrade would deliver a number of benefits to Allansford and the local community.
“Upgrading the Allansford Mechanics Hall will provide greater options for staging local activities, group meetings and private functions, which were limited by the previous facility,” Ms Tierney said.
“As well as providing quality amenities and new meeting facilities for local residents, upgrading the Allansford Hall also presents new options for local activities and events and boosts the visual appeal of the hall and the surrounding streetscape.”
Ms Tierney said the Victorian Government provided $132,500 towards the $425,000 project to Warrnambool City Council through the Small Towns Development Fund.
She said the project typified initiatives supported by the Brumby Government’s Small Towns Development Fund which were making a big difference to towns in provincial Victoria.
“The Small Towns Development Fund is helping Victoria’s smaller towns create jobs, drive economic growth and improve community infrastructure,” Ms Tierney said.
“So far, the fund has provided more than $46 million toward 460 community and social infrastructure projects worth more than $96.3 million right across provincial Victoria.
“The fund is part of Moving Forward, the Government’s $502 million plan to make Provincial Victoria the best place to live, work, invest and raise a family.”
