Shoppers plead for Vermont South Shopping Centre revamp

Vermont South residents love their local shops, but say the ‘daggy’ complex hasn’t been renovated in 44 years, and is in dire need of a facelift.

Shoppers just want the centre made ‘neat and tidy’.

Vermont South residents love their local shopping centre, but say the ‘daggy’ complex hasn’t had any renovations in 44 years, and is in dire need of a facelift.

They’ve contacted Whitehorse Leader unimpressed with the busy but run-down Vermont South Shopping Centre, and they want a revamp.

Vermont South’s Wendy Forsyth, who has been a customer of the centre for 44 years, said it had never had major changes except removal of trees to expand the carpark.

Ms Forsyth said the “falling-apart” facade had never been improved.

A patch-up of one of the Vermont South Shopping Centre signs has left the word ‘centre’ missing a letter.

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“These things are just not acceptable,” she said.

“We just need it to be made neat and tidy.”

Ms Forsyth said she loved the shops and wonderful traders, and would continue to do all her shopping at the centre, but felt it desperately needed a revamp.

Shoppers say they just want the centre to be made “neat and tidy”.

She noted the centre’s old carpet was badly stained while the interior was dark, gloomy and on a slope.

Ms Forsyth said it would “surely win the dubious prize of the shabbiest shopping centre in Whitehorse”, with various other centres, such as Forest Hill Chase and Blackburn North Shopping Centre, booked in for upgrades.

A poll on Whitehorse Leader’s Facebook page asking ‘Do you think Vermont South Shopping Centre is in need of a revamp?’ last week received 598 votes in favour, with just 37 against.

A common theme among comments was a need for the centre’s carpet to be removed and the carpark’s potholes to be fixed.

People are calling for an upgrade of ‘daggy’ Vermont South Shopping Centre. Picture: Josie Hayden

The 62 stores at Vermont South Shopping Centre are individually owned. The Body Corporate is managed by OCVM Group.

General manager Josh Danne said the owners acknowledged the centre was aging and required maintenance to ensure it kept providing “a welcoming environment”.

“There are plans afoot to rejuvenate the façade which will greatly lift the aesthetics of the property,” he said.

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Mr Danne said a timeline for repairs had not been worked out, with the owners’ approval to fund and complete the project not yet organised.

He said work was expected to be done in 2019.

“The Vermont South Shopping Centre values its customers’ feedback and looks forward to restoring the property for future generations of the local community to enjoy,” he said.