COMMUNITY groups operating from Mowbray College grounds say their future will be “up in the air” when the school officially closes on June 22.
Melton 97.9FM community radio station president Wade ‘Jman’ Lester said the station had been told to move by the debt-ridden college’s administrator.
“The administrator’s advice to me was to have everything out of the station by the end of the term,” he said.
“They have not been forthcoming at all and had I not been persistent, I don’t think they would have said anything at all.”
Click on the image below for our gallery of Mowbray College’s last day.
Melton Hockey Club also faces an uncertain future after being told to shift from its base of 20 years. Chief executive Kellie McLaren said members didn’t know if they would be able to play out the season on their home pitch.
“[Melton] Council has given us funding for a new design for a new home ground, but it doesn’t help us this season.
“We can still play hockey at the home venues of other teams. But if we did that we wouldn’t get the revenue from the canteen, which gives us most of our income.”
Mr Lester was unsure where the radio
station would go.
As reported by the Weekly, the station had been told it would have to relocate by the
end of this year due to planned renovations. But the college’s collapse has forced an early move. Options include relocation to Catholic Regional College campuses at Sydenham
or Melton, or the purchase of a building in Bacchus Marsh.
Mr Lester said time was running out for the station, which has been broadcasting from Mowbray’s Patterson campus since 1991.
Presenter and Melton councillor Bob Turner said the station was a cornerstone of the community. With more than 80 announcers giving up their time each week, he said finding a new broadcast site was imperative.
