ENDEAVOUR HILLS HALLAM DOVETON
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/DandenongJournal
Tuesday, 30 August, 2022
@StarJournal_SE
Documentary’s world premiere
Drug Court a 20-year success
Student debaters progress
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Green light for townhouses
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$9M backhander By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Curiouser and curiouser Southern Cross Primary School student Ella was inspired by the classic tale Alice in Wonderland as she dressed up for Book Week on 26 August. For more photos, turn to page 8
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
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A gold-winning table tennis association has been left “disappointed” after Greater Dandenong Council scrapped a proposed $9.1-million regional facility. Baulking at the cost, Greater Dandenong councillors narrowly voted down plans to start $440,000 detailed design work for the facility at Springers Leisure Centre in Keysborough. The centre was to be the new home of Greater Dandenong Table Tennis Association – which is near capacity at its 40-year-old facility at JC Mills Reserve, Dandenong. Its current base is set to make way for the council’s $82.3 million Dandenong Oasis aquatic and wellbeing centre. The GDTTA venue has hosted a long lineage of international players. They include 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Qian Yang and Dandenong’s underage national champ Connie Psihogios, who was selected to try-out for Australia’s 2020 Olympic team at age 11. It runs a junior academy, high-performance programs, blind table tennis, tournaments and weekly competitions. In a statement, the GDTTA responded: “Whilst our club is disappointed with the council voting against our replacement stadium, the club remains hopeful that we can continue to work constructively with council to achieve a replacement centre which is suitable for the club’s current and future needs. “(We hope) we can continue to provide a facility that has many health and other benefits for our vibrant and inclusive table tennis community.” After a feasibility study, council officers recommended a new 24-table centre equipped for international tournament standards. The study found “strong demand” for a regional facility, with GDTTA membership numbers forecasted to grow from 300 to more than 600 at the new centre. Continued page 9