By MELISSA MEEHAN
IT’S sitting empty and unused right in the heart of town – and has been for years.
Upper Yarra University of the Third Age (U3A) president Vernon Denford says the old Yarra Junction police station is the perfect building to solve his group’s space problems, but the Yarra Ranges Council says it’s up to the State Government to gift the old police station to the community.
At Tuesday night’s council meeting, Mr Denford and his wife Shelia said there was plenty of evidence that the U3A movement had a great deal to offer any retired or semi-retired people.
Mr Denford said since establishing the Upper Yarra U3A in March 2010, the education provider had grown to having more than 150 members, with 26 tutors and over 100 different classes.
“The former police station site has been identified as offering a safe, ideally convenient central localtion for our U3A which has an enrolment area covering from Wandin to Warburton,” Mr Denford said.
“With minimal modification, it could serve us most beneficially as an office, classroom and storage space for U3A activities.”
Mr Denford also raised the historical significance of the site, being the location of the former railway station masters residents.
“Without doubt, the Yarra Junction Historical Society also has an interest in the site and we would have no hesitation in co-sharing the site and premises with them,” he saud,
Councillor Terry Avery asked Mr Denford whether the group had made contact with state and federal members on the issue, and said it would be a great thing if the government could gift the site to the community.
But Mr Denford said he had been led to believe that the State Government would be offering the site to the council for community use.
On Thursday, Mr Denford said he was frustrated by the council’s seemingly unwillingness to pursue the opportunity to secure the site for community purposes.
“We will ensure that the building will be well maintained and remain as a valuable asset of the council,” he said.
“I’ve been talking to council since 2011 and state and federal members have also raised this matter in parliament.”
He said the council had offered a number of alternative sites for the U3A, including the Hoddles Creek Hall and Wesburn Hall – but each had their own negatives, including the point that many U3A members relied on public transport to attend classes.
Other offers would mean using space only available one or two days a week.
“In recognising the valuable community contribution that many members have made in the past together with the desire to remain independent, a location such as the old police station would be welcomed by all members.
