Umina Men's Shed gets go-ahead
Umina Beach Men's Shed has been issued with a construction certificate which allows it to build its new premises on council land in Osborne Ave, Umina, two years after it lodged its development application.
It is understood that an agreement between the council and the funding body, facilitated by Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch, has broken a 15-month deadlock that prevented the group from building its new Shed.
Central Coast Council issued the Men's Shed with development approval in August last year.
However, the non-profit voluntary community group was faced with losing a grant for the building, because the council did not have a "plan of management" in place.
The Men's Shed was told the council could not offer it a lease for the building until a plan of management was formalised, and that the lease was required as a condition of the grant.
Council staff told the Men's Shed a plan of management could not be prepared until March this year.
However, in June, the group was told that the plan and lease could take another year.
Men's Shed secretary Mr Vic Brown said at the time: "The position we find ourselves in is extremely disappointing."
In September, council staff said that the plan of management and lease would not be ready before the end of next year.
"The situation has an obvious impact on the shed and associated funding," Mr Brown stated.
The group stood to lose its funding and the prospect of having its own new premises.
Mr Brown said that on November 6, there was "finally some good news".
"While the council is still constrained, it made an offer to the department which looks after our grant and, with assistance from our State Member Ms Liesl Tesch, the offer was accepted.
"We have applied for and gained an extension for completion of the new shed as part of the conditions we are required to complete the work by May 31.
"So now we have to receive the necessary occupation documents from council then we should be able to start work.
"The committee is now obtaining updated quotes," he said.
Central Coast Council issued the construction certificate last Monday, November 22.
SOURCE:
Website, 6 Nov 2021
Vic Brown, Umina Beach Men's Shed