Background
The Waratah Centre is located in Waratah Crescent, South Portland. Formerly the Birralee Kindergarten and South Portland Community Health Centre, The Waratah Centre was purchased from the Glenelg Shire in early 2011. The Waratah Centre plays a key part in WorkSkills' community development initiatives.
Resident groups/key user groups
Community groups based at the Waratah Centre include the Portland District U3A (University of the Third Age), the Portland Men's Shed and Portland's Neighbourhood House Coordination Program. A number of groups use the Waratah Centre on an occasional basis.
Developing the Waratah Centre
The Waratah Centre is a work in progress and is being developed internally and externally. A number of groups are making significant contributions to this process.
The Portland Men's Shed are making a substantial contribution to the development of the centre by way of interior painting in the former kindergarten section. The have been successful in 'muting' the bold and bright former kindergarten paint job!
Portland Aluminium, by way of its Community Partnership Program, is enabling WorkSkills to effectively fence the centre's grounds. This will enable us to convert lawn areas into herb and vegetable gardens that will be used by various community groups. The fencing will also allow us to remove internal fencing that limits the usability and flexibility of the grounds.
Portland Aluminium's support was value-added by the National Green Jobs Corps team, which worked on the site at regular intervals during the year. They removed internal fencing, felled a tree that was damaging concrete paths, and removed the vast former kindergarten sandpit and the woodchip area. They also demolished the internal brick fence pillars and fencing, and removed cumbersome and no-longer-needed outdoor play equipment.
WorkSkills has also invested strongly in the site, with repairs to the exterior, exterior painting and a range of internal repairs or improvements.
Links
Association of Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres
Australian Men's Shed Association
Contact Portland WorkSkills on (03) 5523 1645 or email us by clicking here.