Tuesday, 29 August, 2023
Lilydale
What’s the cost of FOGO?
Schools Spectacular preparations underway
Harlem’s greatest leap yet
Kilsyth FC’s grand final debuts
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A Star News Group Publication
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12496493-NG22-21
Japara’s lifeline By Mikayla Van Loon After struggling through the pandemic years with severely low attendance numbers and a proposed decline in Yarra Ranges Council funding, an independent report has handed Japara’s Kilsyth Community Hub an ongoing lifeline with recommendations changing its arrangements with the council. The seven meeting room, hall, maternal and child health and day care facility caters to the urban suburbs of Kilsyth, Montrose and Mooroolbark, providing recreational activities and social connection. Despite being founded as part of the Montrose Village Network to provide women a space to learn crafts and socialise in the ’70s, it has since expanded to cater for hundreds of adults and children in a range of programs. Having been on the verge of insolvency at the end of the pandemic, board chair Mark Doubleday and the council’s officers engaged an independent consultancy firm to better understand the future requirements of the hub. “Japara sought to work with Council to find a viable plan to ensure the Hub can represent visible value to the community,“
Mr Doubleday said. “The review consultant has unpacked every corner of the Hub finances and participation. Japara supports the recommendations as a balanced approach for a sustainable plan.“ The recommendations looked at the lease arrangements, funding and governance to streamline the partnership between Japara and the council. “Japara is keen to build a more effective partnership with the council with simple, clear and relevant performance indicators to allow the council to reflect back to the community and rate payers how the investment has been rewarded,“ Mr Doubleday said. Having assessed the figures post pandemic, Mr Doubleday said for every dollar of income, Japara and its partners created $3.40 in community value, something Councillor Andrew Fullagar said he believed was “highly conservative“. “I’m sure that when you look at what the intangible benefits are that flow out to the community it would be much higher than that,“ he said at the council meeting on Tuesday 22 August. For the full story, turn to page 6
Liz (Peter Rabbit), Clara (The Saucepan Man), Mia (Bluey), Dominic (The Brave Bear), Georgia (Fantastic Mr Fox) and Sandi (Little Red Riding Hood) on a visit to Mount Evelyn Community House. 355965 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Book Week brings out all the favourite characters Some of the book world’s best and favourite characters were spotted in Mount Evelyn on Thursday 24 August. Dressed as Bluey, Mr Fox, Peter Rabbit and more, the children from Mount Evelyn Memorial Pre School went for a reading and
activity session at the Mount Evelyn Community House. Exploring their imaginations and delving into the worlds of their most loved characters, the children danced and laughed. See more photos on page 14
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