Indented Heads residents frustrated at asbestos removal delay at community hall

RESIDENTS of Indented Head are lobbying Bellarine Bayside to undertake urgent removal work of asbestos at the community hall

Ingrid Novosel is secretary of Indented Head Community Association. Picture: Alan Barber

RESIDENTS of Indented Head are lobbying Bellarine Bayside to undertake urgent removal work of asbestos at the community hall.

The roof and walls of the popular community asset were built using cement sheets containing the formerly popular and potentially deadly building material.

Indented Head Community Association secretary Ingrid Novosel said the association had been pushing Bellarine Bayside to do something about the asbestos for more than 15 years.

“For about the last 15 years the roof on the community hall has been deteriorating badly and we’ve been lobbying Bellarine Bayside to do something about it,” Ms Novosel said.

“We are tired of hearing the same old excuse that they are going to apply for a grant (to fund the removal), but we want the money for now and we’ve waited too long.”

She said the association was fed up with “going around in circles” trying
to have the problem fixed and was looking for the State Government to step in.

“Once Bellarine Bayside apply for a grant, we have been told Lisa Neville will offer a letter of support,” Ms Novosel said.

“We think there needs to be more decisive actions from (Bellarine MP) Lisa Neville, it shouldn’t always have to be down to the community to lobby these things.”

Ms Neville said she was aware of the situation at the Indented Head hall.

“Public safety is, of course, a priority concern and I have been assured by Bellarine Bayside the hall is not considered to be of risk,” she said.

“As I have always done, I am more than willing to work with, and on behalf of, all Bellarine communities in having local facilities upgraded and the Indented Heads Hall is no exception.”

Bellarine Bayside chief executive John Nankervis said the organisation was regularly monitoring the hall and that it posed no health risk.

“The situation is that the hall’s roofing and wall cladding is made of cement sheeting that contains asbestos, as is common in buildings of a similar age,” Mr Nankervis said.

“We get a regular report on the condition of the roof and walls from an external occupational hygienist, who recently conducted an inspection.”

He said the occupational hygienist had confirmed the asbestos was still “bonded” and did not pose a threat to the community in its current form.

“The hall is getting regularly assessed by the technical expert who specialises in asbestos monitoring and we are guided by this advice,” Mr Nankervis said.

Originally published as Indented Heads residents frustrated at asbestos removal delay at community hall