BACCHUS Marsh’s old library building will be demolished next year despite strong community opposition.
In March, Moorabool Council ended a four-year debate on the site’s future when it announced the cream brick building and its depot shed would cost too much to repair, with necessary improvements equivalent to a 1.5per cent rates increase.
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Despite councillors receiving a 472-signature petition calling for the building to be retained, mayor Pat Griffin said last week it would be pulled down next year at a cost of $100,000.
“The thing is, not many groups put an actual proposal in,” he said.
“We liaised with many community groups and the only ones that put in a solid proposal in was the RSL. Unless someone puts a proposal forward we have nothing to consider.”
But StAndrew’s Uniting Church playgroups member Tonia Dudzik said community consultation had been “shocking”.
Ms Dudzik, who pleaded at a meeting on Wednesday night for the building to be saved, said it was a “joke” that the council had formally thanked members of the stakeholder reference group.
The group, of which Ms Dudzik was a member, comprised a range of representatives from playgroups, Rotary, U3A and Bacchus Marsh RSL. “We all wanted the opportunity to have a say on the future of this land,” she said.
“But we were not given the opportunity to have a say. We were told this group was to establish a framework for how community consultation should occur. We were only permitted to say how the community should be consulted.
“The council is giving the pretence that it has consulted when it clearly has not.”
Cr Griffin maintained the council had consulted effectively and reasonably.
‘We’ve gone through all of the committees, sessions and meeting for years now. What more can we do?
“The only people that are complaining are those who disagree with our decision.”
Bacchus Marsh Community Land Group president John Spain said the group would continue to monitor the council’s disposal of public assets, particularly land.
