“THE SHED”/ EXTENSION

“Working for our Community”

Pomona & District Community House Inc.

How a few months can change your expectations, can be illustrated by our disappointment on being denied funding by Jupiter’s Casino Community Benefit Fund to top up money committed by Noosa Shire Council to build our much needed extra space. It turned out that our application was rejected because we did not have a lease in place for a building that did not exist. We were advised that we needed a lease from the then Noosa Shire Council for the building but Council could not commit to a lease until we secured funding to build the facility. Catch 22 big time.

When faced with a negative we looked for a positive way of providing the necessary space and the answer became crystal clear.

Since we have a 10 year lease with Council for the existing Community House we decided to extend the House into the vacant area between the House and Joe Bazzo Park.

We set about designing a 2 level extension to the House including a veranda overlooking Joe Bazzo  Park and the rotunda.

The design and construction will match the existing House and buildings in the Community Precinct which takes in the Memorial School of Arts, Community House, old Solicitors Office, Old Railway Art Gallery, Majestic Theatre, Pomona Hotel and compliment the Art Deco shops on Memorial Avenue. See Plans for the extension below.

Disabled access to the upper floor will be via the existing ramp to the old reception area then via a new bridge link to the new extension.

Each floor will incorporate a disabled access toilet and a kitchenette for tea and coffee making.

The extension will focus on providing space for mentoring and job training and providing space for flexibility of services to meet the latest trends, crafts and ideas.

The building will cost around $320,000 with Noosa Council having been a very supportive partner contributing $134,000 plus providing the land and car park to service the new building. The  Department of Communities (DOC) have seen the benefit to Pomona and area and committed $24,400 towards the fitout of the extension.

To have the building constructed we went public to our Community via our monthly magazine “Cooroora Connect” asking for anyone with skills and trades willing to donate their time to getting this building up and running.

Our fabulous Community of tradesmen, handyman and willing volunteers has inundated us with offers of  assistance  representing a dollar value  of around $40,000 off the cost.

 We have even been pledged provision of tea, coffee and bickies for the volunteers from a spritely 85 year young lady, who terrorizes the town in her fire engine red buggy, but she said that she promised not to supply scones as her best efforts have been described an cannonballs.

With Local suppliers giving us project prices for materials, Community pledges of $40,000 plus DOC’s $24,400 and Council’s $134,000  this has reduced the budget down to around $121,000  to get the building up.

With the problem of a lease eliminated we can now apply to Jupiter’s Casino Community Benefit Fund  and the Gambling Community Benefit Fund for the balance.

We are committed to making this project happen and will do whatever is necessary to achieve this.

Below is the layout of the new extension and you will see that the building, almost twice the size of  the existing House will provide space for everything that our Community will need well into the future.

If you would like to offer your help or materials please contact us at the House

 

“Working for our Community”

Pomona & District Community House Inc.