Draft Loddon Social Infrastructure Strategy 2024
Published on 18 June 2024
Loddon Shire Council has released a Draft Loddon Social Infrastructure Strategy, providing a framework to support its planning for the future of the diverse range of facilities used by our communities. Social infrastructure includes facilities and services such as public halls and community centres, senior citizens centres, playgrounds, swimming pools and sporting club spaces.
While acknowledging these community facilities help individuals, families, groups and communities meet their social needs and enhance community wellbeing, Council faces some challenges in continuing to maintain the facilities to the required standards into the future.
Rather than making recommendations about the future of social infrastructure, the Draft Strategy details future work that would underpin Council decisions about how best to manage the buildings and spaces our community uses to meet their social needs.
“Our community buildings improve wellbeing and help communities meet their social needs and reach their potential. Many of our buildings and recreation spaces offer great opportunities for broader use, while others are ageing and need substantial investment.”
“We have a great advantage in Loddon: almost all residents are within a 30 minute drive of at least one of our large towns, meaning we all have great access to valuable services and facilities.” Loddon Shire Mayor Gavan Holt said.
The Draft Strategy suggests that, predominantly, people living in Loddon towns should have access to:
- An indoor meeting place, equipped play space and recreation spaces and facilities within a 15 minute drive
- A preschool, Maternal and Child Health service, library, community centre, swimming pool and waste facility within a 30 minute drive.
The Draft Strategy paves the way for further work including understanding how often our community buildings and recreation spaces are used and what condition they are in. This work will enable us to identify which facilities require updating in order to meet present needs and standards, and those at or nearing “end of life” for which better alternatives may exist.
Once we understand the condition of our buildings and spaces, and how often they are used, we will be ready to start making decisions about their future. There will be more conversations with our communities at this stage of the process, to help inform the way forward.
“The Draft Strategy includes a wealth of information about Council facilities and services across the Shire. I was surprised to learn that there are more than 70 indoor meeting spaces across our public halls, community centres, senior citizen centres and clubrooms.”
“It is very important to us that we receive the community’s feedback on the Strategy, particularly thoughts on what the Draft Strategy has uncovered and the next steps in the process.” Mayor Holt added.
Our team will be out and about in the community at various pop-up locations, but there are other ways you can share your thoughts with us:
The Draft Loddon Social Infrastructure Strategy and a short feedback survey can be found at www.connect.loddon.vic.gov.au.
Please contact Council’s Customer Service team on 5494 1200 if you would like a hard copy of any of the documents.
Community feedback is welcome until Monday 1 July.