Hunt for station

By Dion Teasdale
THE search is on to find a site for the construction of Yarra Junction’s new $1 million police station.
Funding for the new station was handed down in May as part of the State Government’s 2006/2007 budget.
Last week Minister for Police and Emergency Services Tim Holding announced the government would provide an additional $300,000 towards the purchase of a new site for the station.
“Extra (funding) has been allocated to this project because the police station will have to be built on a new site,” Mr Holding told the Mail.
“We’re currently looking at possible sites for the new station.”
Yesterday, Mr Holding visited the current station as part of the Government’s Community Cabinet visit to the Shire of Yarra Ranges.
During his visit, Mr Holding met and chatted with local police and was taken on a tour of the old station.
“The old police station is run down and unsuitable for a modern police force,” he said.
“It’s vital police have the very best facilities so they can help build on Victoria’s position as the safest mainland state.
“This is a great result for local police,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Mr Holding said a project manager would soon be appointed and scouting for a new site would commence shortly.
“The Government will consult with local police and the local community on the location and external design of the new building,” she said.
“If people have ideas about where the station could be located or what it should look like, they can pass on their ideas through local police.”
The spokeswoman said the Government hoped the new police facility would be open for business within the next 18 months.
Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato welcomed the additional funding.
“I visited the station again a few weeks ago to talk about the funding for the new station and to look at the existing site and was reminded of how small it is,” she said.
“We talked through the limitations that would be placed on constructing a new station on the site and since then we’ve been able to secure extra funding for more land.”
Ms Lobato said she hoped a prominent position near the Warburton Highway in the Yarra Junction township would be found for the new station.
She also said she expected construction of the new station to commence within this financial year and that she believed the current police station site would be made available for sale.
Yarra Junction police Sergeant Kevin Largue said he was looking forward to taking up residence in a new purpose-built police facility in the town.
He said he was keen to see the new station situated on a high profile location in the heart of Yarra Junction and welcomed funding to assist with the purchase of a site.
“The more funding made available increases the scope we have for finding the best location for our new home,” he said.
The current police station in the town is about 25 years old and was described in the Mail last year by a Police Union representative as one of the worst police stations in the state.