By JESSE GRAHAM
TOOLANGI’S Forest Discovery Centre may re-open after three and a half years of lying dormant, after a meeting between residents and DELWP last week.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning met with about 70 Toolangi residents at the CJ Dennis Hall, on Monday 1 February, to discuss the future of the disused Forest Discovery Centre.
The centre, in the main section of town, closed on 1 July, 2012, due to the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s (DSE, now DELWP) building compliance costs.
Before it closed, primary school students came to the centre for forest education programs.
However, DELWP’s Regional Manager of Land, Planning and Approvals for the Hume region James Stewart said residents at the meeting showed “significant interest” in the future of the centre.
The residents then volunteered to organise a business case to give viable options for re-opening and operating the centre.
“A range of potential uses for the centre are being considered by the Toolangi community including; education, visitor information point, art gallery, theatre, Indigenous cultural heritage or as a reception venue,” he said.
“DELWP will support the development of the business case and will continue to work with the community on the best option for future management of the centre.”
Resident and meeting attendee, Steve Meacher, told the Mail the meeting was a success.
“There was good discussion, a number of questions asked, but generally, the feeling was that people do want to see the place open,” he said.
“People were re-assured that it seemed that DELWP would like to see it open again, too, if we can find a way forward.”
He said DELWP confirmed to the group that money could be available for maintenance works, repairs and upgrades at the centre, but that the building was also in “good shape”.
“It wouldn’t take major work to get it re-opened,” he said.
Mr Meacher said it was difficult to estimate a timeframe for the business case, but that the committee working on the business case would be meeting in coming weeks.
“We’re keen to have things moving as soon as we can,” he said.
He said there had been discussions in community meetings last year about re-opening the centre for its original purpose of educating school students.
At the February meeting, ideas such as tourist information, an art space, a film club or a coffee shop were also raised as potential ways to keep the centre afloat.
Should the centre re-open, Mr Meacher said a sculpture festival may also be organised, to mark 20 years since the international sculpture festival held there in 1996.
The festival resulted in some sculptures, all of which were built from materials found in the forest, forming a trail near the centre, but some of these had disappeared.
“They’re very much in and around the Forest Discovery Centre, and the idea is to have a new sculpture festival, that would mark that 20th anniversary and bring some new works as well,” he said.
What do you think of the idea to re-open the centre? Did you go to the centre as a school student? Send a letter to the editor to editor@mailnewsgroup.com.au or 244 Maroondah Highway, Healesville.
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