By KATH GANNAWAY
A VOLUNTEER cancer support group says its faith in Yarra Ranges Council is shattered after being refused access to a vacant shire building to provide help for people with cancer.
Yarra Valley Ladies in Pink asked in April last year for the use of the vacant Seville Maternal and Child Health Centre, but say they have been ‘given the run-around’ with council representatives seemingly unable to comprehend what it is they want, and need, to offer.
Yarra Ranges Council, however, says they value their work, have done everything possible to provide a viable facility and is working with the group to find a viable facility that meets their needs.
In a letter to the Mail in December (see page 3) YVLIP co-conveners, Judith Sturt and Judith McGrath, said the Yarra Valley had a high number of men and women who were living daily with cancer.
And they were keen to establish a more prominent presence in the Valley to expand the services they already offered.
Those services include counselling, pastoral care, advocacy, transport, providing equipment, education and respite care.
The group has a respite house in the Valley.
They are associated with the Cancer Council of Victoria and have the support of many local organisations who fund-raise for them, including Warburton Senior Citizens, Seville Cricket Club and Upper Yarra Secondary College.
Ms Sturt said they were frustrated and disappointed that what they believed to be the best location and building, with passing public transport and a number of rooms to enable them to provide services such as counselling, massage and a place where people can just drop in for a cuppa and chat, is beyond their reach.
Ms Sturt said they wanted a place that they could open three days a week to start, and possibly longer depending on need and volunteer availability.
Yarra Ranges Council’s Director Environment and Engineering, Mark Varmalis, said council’s policy for council facilities was to consolidate community services in central locations where like-minded community service groups could co-exist.
He said the Seville building would need significant funding to upgrade it to a useable condition.
“However, the facilities we have offered are in a similar location and provide a suitable space to meet the group’s needs,” Mr Varmalis said.
Those spaces are at the Upper Yarra Family Centre, Seville Community Hall, Wandin North Community Hall and the Yarraburn Centre, but the group say none of these is suitable and that they have had a number of discussions with council representatives explaining why.
Ms Sturt, however, said they did not meet their needs.
“We have said this on numerous occasions and the fact that they are saying we are looking to run the services one day a week, and that these places are suitable, shows they are not listening or comprehending our need,” she said.
Ms McGrath said the building could be refurbished for very little and that they had another community organisation willing to help with any work needed.
She said there was also talk that the land has been earmarked for housing development.
Mr Varmalis said the future of the building is under review.
The site is currently zoned as a Public Use Zone for Local Government.
