West in community house bid meeting to rally support for vital facility

Alex de Vos
Geelong West residents are close to establishing a neighbourhood house after five years of lobbying.
Community activist Rosemary Nugent, who is leading the push for a community hub, said residents were feeling isolated and out of touch without a central meeting place.
She said the lack of a facility in their suburb was forcing residents to travel to North Geelong or Belmont for their regular doses of social interaction.
“There is nothing servicing the inner-suburbs of Geelong,” Ms Nugent said.
“We really need something to connect and strengthen the community; one central meeting place for people to get together and form networks.”
Neighbourhood houses, also called community centres, operate around Victoria with volunteer committees and paid staff. The houses depend on government funding to provide a range of services and activities ranging from child care and language classes to skills training and social groups.
The region has around 16 neighbourhood houses spread from Lorne to Anakie, Queenscliff and Winchelsea, with more than half in metropolitan Geelong.
Ms Nugent said the Geelong West neighbourhood house would “eventually” offer a range of courses at affordable prices.
“It’s something that would benefit the whole community,” she said.
The Geelong West centre would also provide a home for the suburb’s Neighbourhood Watch group, she said.
The local eyes-on-crime group was struggling to run its volunteer service properly without a settled headquarters.
“They’ve been shunted from different places and really need somewhere to hold their meetings,” Ms Nugent said.
She urged residents to attend a community meeting next Thursday to find out more information about the neighbourhood house proposal.
“After five years of campaigning we’ve got the support of council – now we need to gauge the reactions of the community,” she said.
“But I think we’re finally on the way.”
Mr Nugent said the meeting would begin 7pm at Geelong West Town Hall.
Guest speakers would address the meeting, which would also offer food and entertainment, she said.