Edwardes Lake Skate Park, DIVRS driver training receive council cash

The Darebin community has spoken and now more than $265,000 has been handed out to initiatives including a mobile coffee van, training for migrant drivers and a skate park revitalisation.

Darebin Council will start looking into the upgrade of Edwardes Lake Skate Park. Picture: George Salpigtidis

A coffee van, revitalised skate park and training for migrant drivers headline the community programs receiving Darebin Council cash after public submissions.

More than $265,000 of community projects will be funded in the council’s 2019/20 budget, alongside almost $50 million in capital works.

The community submitted 85 proposals and 11 were granted additional funding, with many others already allocated money for the financial year.

The council will spend $50,000 on geotechnical investigations and a feasibility study for upgrades to the Edwardes Lake Skate Park.

Moon Rabbit Cafe, Preston will launch a mobile coffee van thanks to council funds.

Another $41,500 will go to the Darebin Information and Volunteer Resource Service to buy a small car and put 50 migrants through a driver training program.

And $44,250 is headed to the popular Moon Rabbit social enterprise in Preston to help buy and fit out a mobile coffee van.

Chris Lombardo, executive officer of The Bridge neighbourhood house — home of Moon Rabbit — said the van would enable their learning programs to expand, take their sustainability education to more people and improve their coffee and catering business.

“It is a great validation for the board and staff at the Bridge to have our work recognised in this way,” Ms Lombardo said.

Residents have been campaigning for a pedestrian bridge over Merri Creek for 10 years.

“Darebin Council are very proactive at supporting grassroots community and we thank them for it.”

Also funded were a $70,000 pilot program for an outreach service in schools, $20,000 to improve the Clifton Street Children’s Centre yard and $1500 for a clean-out of Darebin Creek.

Darebin Mayor Susan Rennie thanked the community for their “brilliant” submissions.

Big projects in the budget included $4 million to begin construction of the multi-sport stadium at John Cain Memorial Park, $3.1 million to begin the renewal of Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre and Reservoir Leisure Centre, and $1 million for the Merri Creek pedestrian bridge.

MORE NEWS: HOW YOU CAN BEAT DEVELOPERS IN COURT

COUNCILLORS SLAM STATE GOV CHANGES AS ‘UNDEMOCRATIC’

KIDS WRITE GORY HORROR SCARE FOR ADULTS

Cr Rennie said the council wanted to maintain Darebin as a great place to live and work in the face of a growing population.

“We will continue to invest in the infrastructure we need to ensure we thrive, live sustainably and build better connections between people,” she said.

@richardapearce