Feedback welcome on first-ever draft Community Infrastructure Plan for shire

The plan defines community infrastructure as ‘public buildings and facilities that provide community services to residents’.

Public consultation on the draft plan is now open and will close at midnight on Sunday 26 November 2023.

The draft Community Infrastructure Plan sets out how community infrastructure will be planned, designed, delivered, operated and maintained for community use into the future.

It includes any facilities that contain consult rooms, kindergarten rooms, hireable community and meeting spaces used for services, programs or activities, libraries, kitchens and public toilets, as well as other spaces that Council has a role in providing or facilitating for community use (such as arts and cultural spaces).

Community members can provide feedback on the Creating Cardinia consultation website (www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay) or by attending an online or in-person community workshop in their area. For the purposes of the consultation, the shire is being split into four regions – Growth, Hills, Southern Rural and East – with a workshop to be held in each, as well as an online workshop.

“Feedback from community members on the draft Community Infrastructure Plan will be greatly valued,” said Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Tammy Radford.

“We want to hear from you about your needs and expectations relating to community infrastructure.

“Sharing what community infrastructure is important to you and how you think current community infrastructure is performing will help Council finalise the current plan and help shape future versions of it.

“The plan will support Council in developing a list of prioritised community infrastructure projects for consideration in its long-term financial plan,” Cr Radford said.

“Your feedback will also help Council to better understand how you currently use facilities, how you’d like to use facilities in the future, and what changes we might make to facilitate this.”  

The draft plan also introduces the community infrastructure audit, which will help Council to assess the need for, and performance of, community infrastructure across the shire. Input from the community will help to refine this important tool.  

The Community Infrastructure Plan is a key action in the Council Plan 2021-24 and has been informed by previous community engagement activities.

Community workshop events - dates and locations 

• Tuesday 21 November 2023, 6.30pm to 8pm – Pakenham Hall (at Pakenham Library)
• Wednesday 22 November 2023, 6.30pm to 8pm – Koo Wee Rup Community Centre
• Thursday 23 November 2023, 6.30pm to 8.30pm – online  
• Saturday 25 November 2023, 10am to 11.30am  – Bunyip Public Hall 
• Saturday 2 December, 10am to 11.30am - The Hills Hub, Emerald 

For more information, to register to attend a workshop and to have a say on the draft Community Infrastructure Plan visit the Creating Cardinia website at www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay