Upper Yarra
8 Tuesday, 7 March, 2017
Book release
2
Mail Covering the Upper Yarra Region of the Yarra Ranges Shire
Closing the gap
A Mail News Group publication
24-25
Sports of all sorts
Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
Save the incubator
Building bricks of community
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Phoebe Lines is helping build a truly down-to-earth community asset at ECOSS ... one kiln brick at a time. Read more about her pottery passion on page 5. 164612
12339093-LB07-17
The board of Yarra Ranges Enterprise Centres Ltd (YREC) in Warburton is reaching out to the community in a bid to save the notfor-profit incubator. YREC has launched a petition calling on the State Government to stop the sale of the YREC land at 21 Woods Point Road, Warburton. The Mail reported last week that the government-owned land that the incubator has called home for the past 17 years is on the market, leaving it open to sale and the possibility of rezoning. YREC chairperson, Deb De Laps, said while the organisation had still had no formal notification from the State Government, advising them of the proposed change of status of the land, comments in the Mail by a spokesman for Planning Minister Richard Wynne had prompted them to take action. The Mail quoted a spokesman as saying the land had been offered to Yarra Ranges Council to purchase and that as a long-term occupant of the property, YREC would also be able to make an offer. “The centre can also work with the government to explore what funding it may be eligible for,” he said. Spelling out why YREC was important to the Warburton business community, the petition details the history of the incubator, its connections to other organisations and, most importantly, its role in helping people in the community to realise a business initiative. Ms De Laps said more than 300 people had signed. Among the reasons people have listed on the petition for putting their signature to the petition are: “Small scale businesses are heart and soul of Australian economy” - Shan L. “Offers opportunities for our community to have work space to
develop and grow” - Anne O. “Big things grow from small seeds. This initiative creates opportunities for future businesses. It is worthwhile to reconsider the decision” - Robynne M. Ms De Laps said they had written to the planning minister and were told they would have a reply after Christmas, but had not heard anything back. “We feel totally without a voice,” she said. “We are trying desperately to find ways of retaining this place, but we are not in a position to buy it outright at this stage. “When we saw the article saying that purchase was an option, and that funding may be available, we launched the petition to gather some support.” Ms De Laps said what they would like is for the government to recognise how important YREC is to the Warburton community and take into consideration its unique model and benefit that flows to the community. “There are other incubators, but they are much more like office spaces and high-tech environments. “We have these fabulous workshops where people with trades are able to get started as well as the more IT professionals and semiprofessional types of businesses. “The sale of this land is not going to be a significant money earner for the government, but it is a substantial financial undertaking for an organisation like ours,” she said. “Ideally, we are hoping that with that recognition, they will consider gifting it to us.” To view the petition go to www. communityrun.org/petitions/saveyrec-business-incubator. Anyone wanting to lend their support to the Save YREC campaign can contact YREC on 5966 9077.
AU36010
By Kath Gannaway