Historic fire hall- Fred Wales, mayor George Blenkhorn, Michael Harrison, Graeme Moore, Elaine Harrison and councillor Bill Pearson. 60877

By Melissa Meehan
TONIMBUK residents affected by the Black Saturday bushfires will have a lasting memorial of those horrible weeks, through the revamp of its historical hall.
Instead of a new memorial, the State Government has provided funding for the town to refit its old hall and remove asbestos – as well as including a plaque commemorating the devastation.
Cardinia Shire councillor Bill Pearson said the State Government and the Department of Sustainable Environment (DSE) had provided two separate grants that will enable asbestos in the hall to be removed as well as a new toilet block in the hall to be built, as well as accessible ramps for disabled members of the community.
“The inclusion of a plaque is a good commonsense outcome,” Cr Pearson said.
“Instead of a monument that sits there and does nothing, our community can use the new hall.
“That’s far more important than a monument that doesn’t do anything.”
Cr Pearson was joined by Fred Wales, the only Tonimbuk resident who lost his home through the devastating fires in February 2009.
He agreed that the hall was better for the community than a monument or statue.