The Clarendon community has a new place to gather, three years after fires devastated the area.
The Clarendon Community Centre was officially opened earlier this month.
Clarendon Recreation Reserve management committee president Trevor Smith said the new centre would be a great thing for community connections.
“With no school and no hall there has been no place for us and no reason for us to gather,” he said.
That lack of space became harshly apparent during the fires of December, 2015, when community members had to travel to Scotsburn to meet and receive information.
The new centre, located at Clarendon Recreation Reserve, has kitchen facilities, a social area, toilets and other amenities.
Moorabool mayor Paul Tatchell, Jon Rofe from Forest Fire Management Victoria and CFA District 15 operations manager Brett Boatman officially opened the centre.
Emergency Services Minister James Merlino announced in 2016 that Moorabool council would receive a $300,000 grant to deliver the Clarendon Community Hub project as part of a boost for community recovery.
Stage two of the project will involve work to upgrade the Clarendon tennis courts and landscaping around the building, with work scheduled to be completed by the end of June.
A community barbecue at the centre was enjoyed by about 100 people in December, while the official opening attracted about
70 community members.
“On Saturday there were members of the community we haven’t seen before come along,” Mr Smith said.
“It is a great place for us to gather, socialise and get back to meeting people and our neighbours. It is good to have somewhere local we can meet to get together.”
The next big event in the town will be a film screening scheduled for April 5 at Clarendon Community Centre.
– The Courier
