By Kath Gannaway
THE Toolangi community came together last week to celebrate the official opening of a $112,000 commercial kitchen at the C J Dennis Hall.
The professionally designed and beautifully constructed kitchen is a source of enormous pride for the hall committee of management, which first identified the kitchen upgrade as a major community priority as part of the Community Building Initiative (CBI).
Following the 2009 bushfires – when the hall provided a refuge and meeting place on the Black Saturday weekend and for weeks after – the initial CBI funds grew with generous donations from outside benefactors.
Officially opening the new kitchen, Minister for Community Development Lily D’Ambrosio, said her government was pleased to contribute $52,500 to what was an inspired, community-led project.
Contributions from the Murrindindi Shire Council, the South Australian District Council of Grant and the Helen McPherson Smith Trust, more than matched the government funding.
Murrindindi mayor Peter Beales, Seymour MP Ben Hardman, Greg Pell from DSE, Grant mayor Richard Sage and Chris Wooton of the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, spoke briefly of their involvement in the project – and of their pride in being part of what Ms D’Ambrosio described as an important resource for the Toolangi community.
“A new kitchen will enable the local community to properly cater for functions beyond basic tea and coffee, opening opportunities for the hall and securing its popularity into the future,” she said.
“Not only will functions here now have the option to serve food, there is an opportunity for community members to get involved in cooking classes in a modern commercial kitchen,” she said.
Mr Hardman commended the hall committee of management for their hard work and vision.
“The Toolangi community has been the driving force behind this project and have given the C J Dennis Hall a new lease on life, which is testament to the important role it plays in Toolangi,” he said.
Mr Sage said the Grant Council and community were pleased to be involved in a project which assisted the Toolangi community.
He also paid tribute to the volunteer committee members, who had met monthly to plan, design and seek support for the project.
Hall president Bernard Kennedy said in 1952, when the present hall was built, it was achieved through the support of the local shire, government grants … “and a lot of elbow grease” from local people.
“Now, again we have the same beneficiaries to thank for the fact we are about to cut the ribbon on a magnificent new kitchen and feast on scones,” he said.
