Cr Kate Lempriere at the new service centre with Cardinia acting chief executive officer Garry McQuillan, Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato and council manager of community wellbeing Fiona Hodges.
By Paul Dunlop
A NEW family service centre at Pakenham has won a $400,000 boost.
Cardinia Shire Council is building the multipurpose centre to provide badlyneeded services at the fastgrowing Lakeside estate.
Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato announced the grant last Wednesday during an inspection of the facility with senior council officials.
The $2.1 million centre is expected to open in early 2007.
Ms Lobato said the funding followed a $500,000 grant last November.
“This new centre will provide our growing Pakenham community with a onestop shop for families with young children. Included in this facility will be a kindergarten, maternal and child health services, two community spaces, a large storeroom and a kitchen,” she said.
Ms Lobato said the facility had been designed with the community’s needs in mind and would be available for use by a wide range of groups and organisations.
“Residents will be able to get involved in a wide range of services and activities, helping to strengthen this rapidly growing community.”
A committee of management will be established to manage the facility.
Cardinia acting chief executive officer Garry McQuillan welcomed the funding. Council manager of community wellbeing Fiona Hodges and councillor Kate Lempriere joined Ms Lobato at the site.
Mr McQuillan said the council planned to build several new service centres at the rate of one every two years over the next decade.
