Local club’s plan to fund old school site purchase
Local philanthropic group Alexandra Park Club has come to the rescue in an effort to keep the centrally located old primary school site in civic hands.
The club has made a generous offer to fund the entire purchase of the site, for restricted community use, at the discounted cost as part of the First Right of Refusal (FROR) process offered to council by the state treasury department.
The FFOR cost needed by the organisation would be half of the original determined market value of $1.37million ($685,000) to complete the acquisition should the state government treasury department approve it.
The Alexandra Park Club is an organisation first established 98 years ago by a small group of businessmen, for the purpose of providing financial assistance for town improvements.
President Jim Judd said the club’s committee were excited the club can support council to explore purchasing the site.
“The Alexandra Park Club is pleased to have made the offer to the Moira Shire Council to fully fund the purchase of the old Yarrawonga Primary School site based on the First Right of Refusal proposal,” Mr Judd said.
"The offer of the site to the council for community use is a one in a hundred-year opportunity that must not be lost.
“It will benefit the community for generations to come, we know this is what the founders of our organisation would want for the community."
Moira Shire Council Mayor Peter Lawless said council, who had only agreed previously to explore looking at the viability of purchasing the site, is thrilled by the support to now acquire it.
“It’s fantastic to have a community group drive a project in the town and be prepared to contribute.
“We’ll continue to work with them and we’re appreciative of their understanding of the challenges and difficulties of the project,” Cr Lawless said.
Restricted community use under the terms of the FROR process means that the site could not have any activities that generate income, not even to offset costs, which is not a viable solution for the club, council or ratepayers.
Moira Shire Council is working with the club to explore the acquisition with local Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy and the State Government Treasury Department. All parties will lobby the government for a viable solution that allows the site to be purchased for community use with the ability to generate an income that would help pay for repairs, maintenance and upkeep of the site and building to minimise the burden on ratepayers.
“I will be working closely with all parties involved to ensure that a suitable deal is reached that will benefit the whole community,” Mr McCurdy said.
“Getting this right now means that future generations are able to utilise this space, whilst also acknowledging the historical significance of the site.”
The old Yarrawonga Primary School site was last used as a P-4 campus until 2017. The site was then declared surplus by the State Government for educational purposes following the relocation of students and staff to Yarrawonga P-12 College in 2018.
Moira Shire Council and other government agencies were given the FROR to acquire the land.
The entire site has been in state public hands since it was developed, first with the school in 1880, followed by additions of a water tower, courthouse and fire station all in the late 1800s. In 1882, two blocks were in fact excised for the Post Office and Mechanics Institute. Buildings on the site were upgraded at various stages during the 1900s.
Heritage Victoria has recently determined the school has not been recommended for state level cultural significance and listing on the Victorian Heritage Register, allowing greater possibilities for the development of the site. The local heritage significance of the Yarrawonga Primary School is currently reflected in its inclusion in the Heritage Overlay of the Moira Planning Scheme (HO263, Yarrawonga Tom Sharp Precinct).
Mr Judd said just like the many projects the Alexandra Park Club have supported, the opportunity to purchase the old Yarrawonga Primary School site will benefit the community for generations to come and keep it in civic hands.
“We know this is what the founders of our organisation would want for the community.” Mr Judd said.
“We will continue to honour the original trustees' purpose and vision to help make Yarrawonga Mulwala a better place to live. In a way this offer is history repeating itself."
About the Alexandra Park Club
The Alexandra Park Club was first established 98 years ago by a small group of businessmen, for the purpose of providing financial assistance for town improvements.
Alexandra Park, the area that we now know as the Grove was initially managed by this small group of prominent businessmen, as part of the Alexandra Park Trustees.
In 1925 the Trustees, generally known as the Grove Trustees, decided to purchase a movie picture company and to apply any profits to the maintenance and development of the Grove.
Picture nights were initially held in the open air in Belmore St, then following the opening of the new Yarrawonga Shire Hall in 1930, it became the venue for regular showings.
During 1935 it was decided to construct a new ‘Open Air’ theatre on land acquired in Belmore Street through to Hume Street, now known as Rotary Park.
Profits from this new venture enabled the following contributions to be made, mostly through the Shire of Yarrawonga.
Initially funds were provided for the establishment of the Yarrawonga Foreshore areas, the Grove (JC Lowe Oval and adjacent tennis courts and surrounds), then to help the Yarrawonga Shire beautify other areas of the town, including Hammon Park, Rotary Park and the early purchase and development of Gorman Park.
The Yarrawonga Golf Club Resort even benefited from the club’s purchase of Gorman Park with the offer of 20 acres at the back of the park to the golf club which would be later used to establish the Murray Course.
It is estimated that between $10 - 15 million (in today's relative dollar value) has been provided for town improvements, mostly through the Yarrawonga Shire.
Many other clubs throughout the community have benefited over the years with support for improvements that would fulfill the club’s charter of “better improving Yarrawonga Mulwala”.