DO WE NEED ANOTHER (LAKESIDE) COMMUNITY CENTRE +++++++++++ NOW 13 ARGUMENTS - UPDATE 2 DECEMBER 09 +++++++++++ for or against TO READ NO LETTERS IN BENALLA ENSIGN FOR...!!!!

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Lakeside hurdle - August 5 2009 Benalla Ensign

A financial rescue package for the completion of Benalla's Lakeside Community Centre from Benalla Rural City Council is dependant on a $60 000 State Government grant coming through.

And even with the proviso, the plan to increase council's contribution from $100 000 to $150 000 met with opposition at last Wednesday's Benalla Rural City Finance and Operations Committee meeting.

Both Cr Barbara Alexander and a member of the gallery, Delfina Manor, spoke against council supporting the project financially.

The centre, on the showgrounds' side of Lake Benalla, was first launched 13 years ago, half finished (the groundfloor changerooms and toilets) eight years ago and earlier this year plans were announced to complete the upstairs multi-purpose entertainment area at an estimated cost of $750 000.

The funding plan included at least 200 shareholders willing to guarantee $1000, but pay only $200 a share up front; $130 000 bank loan; $250 000 through Regional Development Victoria; $100 000 from Benalla Rural City Council; $60 000 from Sport and Recreation Victoria; and $120 000 through the Ledger Charitable Trust.

But the trust application was not successful and to help cover the shortfall $70 000 has been committed by private supporters and council considered increasing its contribution.

Cr Barbara Alexander said she would like to see the building finished, however, she did not agree with giving money to a commercial venture in competition with other, under-utilised municipal facilities, such as BPACC, the Drill Hall and Benalla Town Hall.

She said the money would be better spent on many council-owned facilities.

Ms Manor said she had spoken to a large number of people in town who were not happy about the project.

She questioned why the second storey was a council priority given everything else that needed doing in the town.

Ms Manor also condemned the lack of community consultation regarding the project.

Speaking in support of the project and increasing council's contribution, Cr Bill Hill said the Lakeside Community Centre would be the most used facility in Benalla.

He said all you had to do was see the number of youth at the showgrounds on a Saturday morning to realise how popular the centre would be.

Cr Hill said it was stretching the bow to say that the centre would be privately operated, because it would be run by the lakeside committee of management on public land.

"Any money generated from that (the centre) will go back into the community," he said.

And, he added, when the centre was completed there would be no ongoing costs to council.

"It is one of the few facilities of benefit to the town that will not have ongoing maintenance costs," Cr Hill said.

"$150 000 is very good leverage of ratepayers' money into a community project."

He said the money the community was already putting into the project, through the shareholders; scheme and private supporters, far outweighed any council contribution.

Council will review its contribution to the project when the outcome of the $60 000 Sportand Recreation Victoria grant application is known.

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Questions for council - Letter to the editor Benalla Ensign 5 Aug 09

At the last council meeting, I intended to ask the council questions about the Lakeside Sport Centre, and the funding increase from $100 000 to $150 000.

On the night, I was informed that as it was a finance meeting, it could only accept submissions, not questions.

These needed to be presented at a council meeting.

I would like to submit these questions via your paper in the hope of receiving a reply not just to these ones, but also to my earlier ones, already published in the Ensign.

Will the council guarantee that the now $150 000 will be the last council contribution to this project?

Will the council guarantee that access to that area of the lake will remain free and unhindered?

Will the second storey include a subsidised restaurant, competing with other ratepaying businesses and can the council guarantee that there will be no poker machines involved and no future extension?

Who will use this facility and why is it needed given the large number of alternative venues scattered around town?

At the meeting, no one from the Lakeside committee felt it necessary to attend.

Does this mean that the decision had already been reached behind closed doors?

And if yes, does the council think that this is conducive to good governance?

As one of the highest rated municipalities in Victoria with an accompanying high rate of disadvantage, could the council finally explain why it sees this facility as a priority and why it is so loathe to consult or report to the community about it?

Delfina Manor, Benalla

(3)
Another community centre for Benalla or is it just for the Saints…!

Anthony Putt CEO of Central Access Limited (CAL) to establish another community centre for Benalla; after a failed attempt to amalgamate with Waminda Community House. Mr. Putt’s new venture, with a new community centre planned to be built on the second level of the Benalla Saints Australian Rules bunker.

I don’t trust (from experience) anything that is for the community, that the Benalla Saints or alike have to offer, when actually it will only benefit the Benalla Saints Australian Rules Club.

Millions have been wasted in the original concept to get a Benalla Saints Lakeside clubroom illegally or wrongly to be a gambling venue on the Lakeside and, now to finish up and be another community centre on the second level, what sort of community centre…and for which part of the community will this structure end up to be, for Saints Aussie Rules and Netball Club only….? When Benalla, for over more than 20 years is still in need for a decent Library, for all ages of the Benalla’s community.

I hate to see ratepayer’s money, government grants going to another community centre, on top of the local Aussie Rules club bunker!
Let’s hope that our ratepayer’s money, government grants do not go to another community centre on top of the Saints Bunker, I hope our councilors have the intelligence to be concentrated on a true community centre, a suitable modern and spacious state of the art Benalla Library for all, is needed so badly.
Roman Kaminski

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'Community' funding? - Benalla Ensign Wednesday, August 26, 2006 Letter to the Editor

Thumbs down to the councilors who followed the leader and agreed to spend more of ratepayers’ money on the facilities at the showground.

It seems the key word for funding is ‘community’. It appears all avenues for funding have now been exhausted.

It’s time to call a spade a spade and name this facility Benalla Saints Club Rooms.

Name and address supplied

(5)
Centre question continue - Benalla Ensign Wednesday August 26, 2006 Letter to the Editor

We are deeply concerned about plans for the use of public land surrounding our lake foreshore – Benalla’s most used and most outstanding asset – with the construction of a building referred to as the Lakeside Community Centre.

We find it unacceptable that we are politely invited to attend committee meetings or to seek information through a private business.

This project is dealing with public land and public money, and the community has a right to see the plans and amendments before they are enacted.

It has a right to know who the shareholders are, and what differentiates a shareholder from a straight-out donor, as was the case with the swimming pool.

We are entitled to know about plans for car parking for the 300 potential users, and the access point for this large volume of cars.

Also, how does the committee of the Lakeside Community Centre plan to provide for the disable, the elderly and families with babies and toddlers?

Are plans consistent with access and equity principles and legislative requirements?

There has been a volume of complaints to the council with regards to the current stewardship of this area by the Saints Football Club.

These issues have still not been resolved with no written guarantee to unhindered access to park users. We invite the council (who are spending ratepayers money and community acquired funds), the Saints Football Club and all other people associated with this project, to hold a public meeting.

We further invite them to face their critics and answer questions, not with rosy predictions, but with facts.

There has already been an auditor general’s report (February 2003 http://download.audit.vic.gov.au/files/PSA-Feb03-REPORT.pdf). *PROBLEM TO LINK - TRY THIS TO VIEW PDF FILE http://photosbyroman.multiply.com/video/item/15

The later strongly noted the lack of accountability and glaring information gaps regarding to the construction.

Will there be a third report? Where is the publicly available evidence that this centre will truly be a whole of community resource?

Delfina Manor, Jane Rushworth, Jo Compbell, Benalla

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Seeking accountability - September 2 2009 Benalla Ensign Letter to the Editor

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who have been supportive of the ongoing effort to bring some accountability into the building of the Lakeside Sport Centre.

As a result a group has been formed, which has doubled in size since its first meeting and will hopefully continue to grow.

Although individually we might have differing views on a final outcome for the building, we all agree that since its inception, due process has not been followed and because of that neither has good governance.

I continue to urge everyone unhappy with the almost total lack of community consultation to contact the council and ask for concrete information or better still for a public meeting to be held.

It would be a pity for this community to be billed again by a council that in this instance has not much to brag about.

Delfina Manor, Benalla

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Community group unconvinced - SEPTEMBER 30 2009
BENALL ENSIGN Letter to the Editor

Last Thursday three members of Friends of Lake Benalla met with Mayor Bill Hill at his request about the second storey extension to the Geoff Cooper Rooms by the Saint's football ground.

We would like to thank Mayor Hill for his courtesy, but unfortunately the groups remain unconvinced by either his vision or reassurances.

The extension has been sold as either a sport centre, a community centre or a community sport centre. It is none of these.

It will be a licensed entertainment venue, with no guarantee of cost blow-outs in its construction or its success once built.

Unlike a public library, a swimming pool or a true community centre, it will do nothing to enhance the health of the community or attract new residents.

The `friends' fear is that it will be an ongoing drain on public money and that the building itself will become a magnet for vandals, further destroying the lake environs.

Friends of the Lake understand that nearly $1 million of rate and taxpayers' money has already gone into this construction. With each council contribution, we are assured it is a finite amount. It never is.

Once again we invite the council and the committee to call a public meeting. Tell us how this committee was formed.

If it was voted in, by whom and by what criteria, if nominated by the council what is their brief?

Can we see the plans, including which vegetation will be removed for car parking, can we see visible signs erected alerting neighbouring houses of their right to object?

If in the end this building is to go ahead, Friends of Lake Benalla are determined that it meets with community standards and needs.

Our land, our money.

Friends of Lake Benalla, c/o of Deflina Manor, Benalla

(8) THE ISSUE OF ANTHONY PUTT CEO OF CENTRAL ACCESS LIMITED NOW PRESIDENT OF WAMINDA (CENTRAL ACCESS GAZUMUPING WAMINDA'S RECYCLING COMPUTER FUNDING) - AND NOW FOR BENALLA SAINTS LAKESIDE ‘COMMUNITY’ CENTRE PROJECT…?

Benalla beware of Councilors and waste of our money on the
Benalla Saints Lakeside Community Centre again, for private control.

6 APRIL 2009 – Mr. Putt CEO of Central Access Limited now president of Waminda and attempted to have control over Waminda by C.A.L;


NOW CENTRAL ACCESS LIMITED C.E.O MR. PUTT INVOLVED IN ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE ENTERPRISE BY CENTRAL ACCESS…IN STEALTH? THROUGH COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT GRANTS, RATEPAYERS MONEY FOR FUNDING TO PRIVATE ORGANIZATION….???

MAYOR BILL HILL (B1) AND MEMBER FOR BENALLA BILL SYKES (B2), BOTH ARE ON RECORD, ‘FOR MORE POKER MACHINES FOR BENALLA’ AND ONLY ARE INTEREST IN THEIR OWN WEALTH AND BUSINESS FOR NOT BENALLA.

(CAL) Central Access Limited still interested controlling Waminda Community House

Last weeks (April 2009) meeting regarding CAL position in having a control of Waminda House, CAL CEO Anthony Putt said that CAL has a lot to offer Waminda; But CAL has already rudely taken control from Waminda’s Mans Shed and Computer recycling projects without any more advancement done by CAL in developing the projects future.

I feel Waminda has much more to offer CAL than CAL has to offer Waminda Community House, with Waminda’s many courses and activities with the community there is the hair dressing course, computer courses, foodshare with St Vincent De Paul and Rotary, A Community Garden, the home work Club and breakfast Club for primary school and secondary children with the Salvo’s – Waminda has much more to offer the community and surrounding areas with local people and volunteers involved with the community needs in Waminda.

At the meeting it was asked of CAL’s executives/committee members, Benalla City Rural Councilor and Mayor Bill Hill has a position in the CAL organization, I bet you, if Mr. Bill Hill wasn’t mayor CAL would not have a need for Mr. Hill.

The Mayor Bill Hill than a councilor was a highly representative and voiced in the Benalla Ensign for more poker machines along with Bill Sykes for the Benalla Bowls Club, since then three more Bottle Shops opened without protest from the Councilors or Bill Sykes MP for Benalla both have no concern for the communities gambling problems and alcohol problems (more bottle shops more alcohol fueled violence) and easy alcohol access for the under aged drinkers.

CAL truly wants to expand its power over Benallas community welfare/community funding and government grants are a big business today. I don’t think CAL has much integrity having Mayor Bill Hill with CAL; Bill Hill promoting more poker machines for Benalla was irresponsible as councilor for a start.

Waminda is not here to control Benalla’s welfare/community empire; Waminda is here simply to do its best of the community and should not to be taken over by a corporation wanting to control Waminda’s funding including government grants. CAL should develop its own projects in assisting the community.

At present there is time-out while Waminda examines its position with CAL and Waminda’s operational structure allows a merger then to investigate CAL ventures. CAL is not interested in a partnership with Waminda, only in a merger which we all know will be a complete take-over of Waminda Community House by CAL.

(May 2009) Now that Mr. Putt CEO of Central Access has his foot in the door at Waminda Community House being on the executive board of Waminda, now president of Waminda Community House. Now seeks to take over Waminda.

Mr. Putt wants Waminda to merge with Central Access, but truly Waminda with be controlled by Central Access Limited. Waminda members are concerned, about losing its unique identity in supporting Benalla people and the surrounding areas.

Many feel that Waminda will be gobbled-up by Central Access Limited and lost in CAL’s other expanding ventures, Waminda fears it will be disadvantaged from funding, that could be used by Central Access for its own interest.

Waminda’s initiative to start recycling computers, for people who can not afford a computer was taken away from Waminda after much hard work was done by a Waminda IT volunteer who had knowledge and access for the legal operating systems to be loaded to the recycled computers.

Central Access Limited took away Waminda’s computer recycling project, nothing has been heard of Central Access Limited and its progress in providing computers for the needy since, because CAL owned the building space where this work in recycling computers by Waminda was to be done. The Waminda IT volunteer was dismissed by Central Access Limited.

CAL, will take-away Waminda’s successful Foodshare (Waminda gets help from St. Vincent DePaul, Benalla Rotary). This Foodshare operation by Waminda and helping organizations is recognized by Benalla Council and others as an extremely important contribution to Benalla and district people who are in need of food under difficult circumstances.

Also there is Waminda’s Community Garden and the Waminda Hairdressing Salon with its training course for young hairdressers, computer course’s and many other course’s via Waminda for the Community - This is why Central Access Limited wants to take over Waminda because it is fully involved in helping the community, please do not spoil Waminda in helping Benalla and its people, don’t let Central Access Limited to take all this away from Waminda Community House.

Waminda has News Letters quarterly information Benalla people and surrounding areas, of what is happening at Waminda as to what course’s are available for the term, information, events and what could be available e.g. recycled computers!

Waminda is a very much needed community house for Benalla and its people, and should not be treated as a financial opportunity for Central Access Limited in receiving greater funding from government as a private organization and other charity groups.

Waminda should be left as it is, with locals taking an interest being on the Waminda committee and board of executive’s, these are volunteers making decisions for Waminda and Benalla, decisions made by locals and not by Central Access Limited executives. Who would be making all the decision for Waminda Community House if the merger goes through?

Waminda should be controlled by mostly volunteer local people and not by the Central Access Limited Corporation with its paid executives. What is to become of the volunteer members of Waminda’s executive board, with this merger will see volunteers doing the work for the private organization such as Central Access Limited?

No merger thank you. Waminda will have less to offer to help Benalla people if merged with Central Access Limited, would a merger by Central Access Limited means a name change too, like ‘Waminda Central Access’ no this take-over by Central Access Limited with its huge assets will contribute less in helping Benalla and its people?

Roman Kaminski

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Letter to the Editor - Benalla Ensign 8 October 2009

Footy/netball club is heartbeat of the town

Some people around this city have no idea how important our football, netball, cricket teams are to a community.

It is the place many young people make life-long friends, meet partners, learn important lessons.

It's not just a place where a 100-plus young people kick a footy or play a game on Saturday - it is a family situation where brothers, sisters, parents and children can have a common interest and a part in a club.

Young people learn values, like being part of a team all playing their part, relationship skills, social and physical skills with a broad range of people in age and personality.

They sometimes make bad judgements, like we all have, but we will have a better outcome if we have a good meeting place.

A community facility is only such if the community use it, like the art gallery, facilities the council supplies is open to all but not all people chose to take advantage of these assets.

This is their choice but the invitation is there.

When my husband and I moved to the town the football-netball people were the first to welcome us and make us feel part of an extended family.

We were retired with no family here.

We elected our councillors to work for us all.

We have good hard working people who have to make hard decisions and informed choices which they are doing. They see the big picture.

The football-netball club has also put a lot of money, time and energy into the complex with the council's assistance, to make the lakeside building an asset that everyone who is interested can benefit from.

We are all ratepayers.

Margaret Lewis, Benalla

       pay again….! - 9 OCT 2009

Mrs. Margaret Lewis letters to the Editor 7 October 2009 ‘Footy/netball club is heartbeat of the town’ – the need for the second level to be finished with ratepayers money and governments grants for the Benalla Saints Football and Netball Club.

Mrs. Lewis would not know, like most of Benalla ratepayers that ample grants were given for the Benalla Saints Football and Netball Club new complex, the original government and local government grants to the building of the Lakeside Benalla Saint Football and Netball Club Sporting and Entertainment Complex was misspent.

Concerns of the misspending of government and local government grants by the Benalla Lakeside Committee for the Benalla Saints Football and Netball Club, were the Auditors Generals Department was called in, resulting in a damning report of council and committee members for the Lakeside Benalla Saint Football and Netball Club Sporting Entertainment Complex.

The Auditor Generals damning report stated money provided in grants for the Lakeside Benalla Saints Football and Netball Club building has been mismanaged and misused.

Now Benalla ratepayers are to pay again and with government grants were grants should be spent in others areas sport for Benalla people– The Benalla Hockey Club needs a synthetic court, Benalla players and the very young in Benalla are forced to compete against other town on gravel surface, with early all senior games are played in Shepparton because of the bad standards of the Benalla Hockey surface.

Roman Kaminski

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Benalla Saints Football and Netball Club want Benalla ratepayers to pay again for their waste!

Mrs. Margaret Lewis letters to the Editor 7 October 2009 ‘Footy/netball club is heartbeat of the town’ – the need for the second level to be finished with ratepayers money and governments grants for the Benalla Saints Football and Netball Club.

Mrs. Lewis would not know, like most of Benalla ratepayers that ample grants were given for the Benalla Saints Football and Netball Club new complex, the original government and local government grants to the building of the Lakeside Benalla Saint Football and Netball Club Sporting and Entertainment Complex was misspent.

Concerns of the misspending of government and local government grants by the Benalla Lakeside Committee for the Benalla Saints Football and Netball Club, were the Auditors Generals Department was called in, resulting in a damning report of council and committee members for the Lakeside Benalla Saint Football and Netball Club Sporting Entertainment Complex.

The Auditor Generals damning report stated money provided in grants for the Lakeside Benalla Saints Football and Netball Club building has been mismanaged and misused.

Now Benalla ratepayers are to pay again and with government grants were grants should be spent in others areas sport for Benalla people– The Benalla Hockey Club needs a synthetic court, Benalla players and the very young in Benalla are forced to compete against other town on gravel surface, with early all senior games are played in Shepparton because of the bad standards of the Benalla Hockey surface.

Roman Kaminski

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A REAL COMMUNITY CENTRE - BENALLA ENSIGN 14 OCTOBER 2009

To Margaret Lewis may I say that there are many heartbeats in a town and many other "families" that people choose to join.

Apart from the Saints there are the All Blacks, the soccer, baseball, and horse-riding clubs to mention but a fraction of other sporting bodies.

Outside of sport, you have people who play chess, scrabble, quilt, put on plays, join reading groups, work as volunteers or join the U3A.

The U3A, unlike the Saints, does not have a permanent secure venue, despite its vital social role.

It's not clear how any of these groups will benefit from the extension.

With you, I admire anyone prepared to be a councillor.

But ultimately they must respect the wishes of its community that voted overwhelmingly for a public library and consistently rejected any extension of the Geoff Cooper Rooms.

I speak for myself, not for Friends of Lake Benalla, but if this second storey must go ahead, then please let it be a real community centre run by the council for the community - the U3A, playgroups, bookgroups, craft groups, a controlled venue for teenagers.

Let it respect the lake in a way the Geoff Cooper Rooms have not and let it become the vibrant heart of Benalla.

Let the council take responsibility for it and share its vision with the community, rather than hiding behind a group of unelected men. That is my big picture.

Sadly your letter has reinforced my worst fears and that of many signatories to our petition, that this is yet another free kick to one favoured club.

Can we have a public meeting please?

Delfina Manor, Benalla

(12)
Letter to the Benalla Ensign 28 Oct 2009
Distrust fed


Sport Centre; Community Centre; Community Sports Centre; Cultural Centre; a beautiful swan that will emerge from the ugliest of ugly ducklings that is the current Geoff Cooper Rooms.

All this and lots more at minimal expense to the taxpayer and ratepayer.

The hyperboles continue. This has been the ongoing refrain since 1988, a claim unsubstantiated by facts and heavily criticised by both the Ombudsman and the Auditor General.

All that the Friends of the Lake and the 200-plus signatories to the petition are asking for is a council-run public meeting in which the project can be assessed and public concerns addressed.

A good start would be for a plan of the building to be displayed at the council offices together with a business plan and the reality of the privately raised $400 000 for his amazing Magic Pudding.

That the council seems so unwilling to do either continues to feed public distrust about this project.

We thank Geoff Cooper for his invitation to a private meeting, but with respect we decline.

The land in question is too important to Benalla's soul and wellbeing to be entrusted to an unelected body

and discussed behind closed doors.

Delfina Manor

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BENALLA ENSIGH 2 DECEMBER 2009


NOT CONFUSING ENOUGH


In the Community Newsletter put out by council in July 2005 under the heading "Lakeside Community Sports Centre" I quote in part "Council has appointed Parnell Constructions Pty Ltd of Wangaratta to complete construction of the Benalla Lakeside Community Sports Centre. The project includes much needed toilet and change room facilities for sporting groups and a public toilet facility and meeting room for the general community. Council's contribution has increased from $204 000 to $258 000."


Now our present day council is prepared to give $150 000 to complete Stage Two of this blight on our lake environs.


In the Benalla Ensign, (November 4) council's chief executive officer Tony McIlroy said: "The development was not a council project."


If it is not a council project, why have council been so involved, contributed so much of ratepayer's money and appointed a firm for the construction of Stage one?


In the Ensign (November 12, 1997) regarding the All Blacks voting against a proposed merger with the Benalla Demons, Michael Teague for the Benalla Demons stated in part: "We have an exciting future in the Goulburn Valley division one with our new jumper, approach and club rooms soon to be built."


In her letter to the Ensign (October 7, 2009) Margaret Lewis wrote: "The football/netball club has also put a lot of money, time and energy into the complex."


This construction proudly displays a sign stating "Geoff Cooper Rooms."


Cr Bill Hill stated emphatically that this building was not the Benalla Saints Clubrooms. Is there any wonder how people can be so confused over this fiasco?


J. Dolling, Benalla