Community centres receive grants to improve sustainability

Oct 5, 2023

**Centre upgrades:** Energy efficiency improvements have been made at community centres across Greater Shepparton thanks to council and Victorian Government funding. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

A series of community centres across Greater Shepparton have been upgraded thanks to recent sustainability funding.

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The Murchison and Toolamba community centres, Tatura Ballantyne Centre and the joint Tatura Community House and Children’s Centre are the beneficiaries of the funding, which includes a 50 per cent contribution from Sustainability Victoria’s Community Climate Change Energy Action Grant scheme.

Greater Shepparton City Council said the Community Climate Change and Energy Action program supported the Victorian Government’s COVID-19 stimulus measures and Victoria’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Upgrades to the Tatura Community House and Children’s Centre included the purchase of a modern refrigerator.

Tatura Community House also benefited from the removal of gas cooking appliances, with upgraded electric ovens and induction installed, and a gas hot water pump replaced with an electric heat pump.

The upgrades contribute to council’s commitment to operate sites as sustainably as possible.

The Tatura Community House and Children’s Centre are also powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity through council’s Victorian Energy Collaboration contract and the solar panel system installed on the centre’s roof.

“This provides not only sustainable energy but a valuable learning tool for sustainability,” council manager environment Sharon Terry said.

“These recent upgrades, along with our existing VECO agreement, prove council’s commitment to reaching our 2030 zero emissions target and improving the sustainability of our region for future generations.”

Ms Terry said Toolamba residents would benefit from several upgrades to the community centre, including the installation of four split systems and a range of energy efficiency upgrades, such as the replacement of cookware with an upgraded stove top for events and functions.

Tatura’s Ballantyne Centre and Murchison Community Centre have installed split systems to improve energy efficiency and regulate the buildings’ internal temperatures.

“Each of these initiatives implemented through Sustainability Victoria’s Community Climate Change Energy Action Grant scheme is helping council take the next step towards achieving the actions in its Climate Emergency Action Plan,” Ms Terry said.

“Every change we make is a positive step in the right direction.”