Students and community members at the opening of the new hub complex. PICTURE: LACHLAN BENCE
SEBASTOPOL’S new hub complex may be situated on a school site, but the whole community is its owner.
Purpose-built to focus on life-long learning, recreation and health and wellbeing, the $2.4 million Ballarat South Community Hub at the Phoenix P-12 Community College was officially opened yesterday by Ballarat MP Catherine King.
“This new community hub will help to unite a diverse community and generate an exciting new educational landscape for students at Phoenix P-12 Community College and the wider Ballarat community,” Ms King said.
“As well as proving a major boost for students, the new hub will be available for use by the community, which will invite a range of new services and facilities into the area,”
The centre includes a fitness workout centre, flexible learning spaces, change rooms, community meeting rooms, a kitchen, kiosk, a rehearsal and performance area, and an occasional childcare facility.
Phoenix P-12 Community College principal Scott Dellar said the facility was being used across the community.
“It’s on a school site, but it’s owned by the community,” he said.
“The three focuses for it are lifelong learning, recreation and health and wellbeing.”
Mr Dellar said people can book the building for parties or other events and not worry about issues that arise with other public facilities.
“It’s focused on the community, so they can walk into a state-of-the-art facility, book it at an inexpensive price in relation to commercial facilities and have the best of the best,” he said.
“Its one of the first facilities with a straight focus on community that exists on a school site.”
Funding for the community hub was part of the federal government’s Local Schools Working Together program.
For information, visit www.deewr.gov.au/lswt