City’s haul new service
Councillors also seal fate of former post office
ONE in three Geelong households is expected to use the council’s new hard waste service, which will collect more than 3000 tonnes annually.
Councillors last night agreed to introduce a scheme that would allow residents to book one hard waste collection from their home each year.
Starting in April 2019, the initiative has an estimated annual cost of $3 million.
The model is based on the most popular in Melbourne, with 20 of the city’s 31 councils offering a booked at-call service.
City Hall expects 37 per cent of Greater Geelong households will use the service – compared to an average rate of 25 per cent across Melbourne.
With a projected 75kg collected at each home, the estimated amount of material picked up will top 3050 tonnes.
At an average recycling rate of 25 per cent, 2289 tonnes of waste will be sent to landfill.
This represents about 2 per cent of the amount of rubbish currently being disposed of at the Drysdale landfill.
The council will engage a private provider on a 12-month contract, with the option to extend pending performance.
Meanwhile, councillors have voted to sell the former Geelong Post Office.
Proceeds from the Ryrie St building and the Old Geelong Gaol will be directed towards the major restoration of the dilapidated Osborne House in North Geelong.
Tenders to buy the bluestone prison complex are now open, with the council not as keen on price as it is in securing a suitable use for the historic gaol.
Industry insiders have estimated the sale of the former post office could reap as much as $5 million.
The council now occupies about 40 per cent of the site’s 1544sq m floor space.
However, its staff are moving out next month, and the council sees no use for the building as it plans to move all its operations into a new highrise headquarters.
The building’s annual $140,000 maintenance bill has outpaced the rental income, while there is a backlog of required works totalling $3.73 million.
Council’s finance and strategy director Peter Anderson said “occasional inquiries” are received from prospective buyers. “It is feasible to convert the property into residential apartments or upgraded office uses, subject to approvals,” he said.
The property is likely to be sold without any conditions relating to its future use or development. ACROSS 1 Not well with us before suit or otherwise becomes highly distinguished Better one enforcing a penalty probably 8 Good thin one to search for food 11 Animal to run with shoe
replaced 12 Puts up new sect after
hesitation 14 Gentiles who retain flooring
material 16 Direction to replace seat 19 Impede poor rate in the road 22 Search over purge 24 Crockery in the East 25 Dwell moodily with young
family 26 Teem down, say, foolishly
squandered funds (6,5) DOWN 1 Spread germs from poor disinfectant Let nothing turn back support over a door Billow in a sudden push forward 4 Correct lawful permission 5 Bowling spell is finished 6 In control of faculties in his 7 2 3
Owners have found a variety of uses for former post offices, including restaurants and cafes, museums, tourist information centres, bookshops, theatres or accommodation.
There are heritage protections for the 1890s-era build-
anecdotes 9 Sole right over a defeated
person 10 Crawling creatures pass over 13 Present show again
concerned with regular order 15 Move chin just a little way 17 In Jo’s ad it’s back in contact 18 Marble, without moisture, is
showy and cheap 20 Remove another aseptic’s
heart 21 One left with bottom book of photos etc Left off malevolent look in flat-bottomed boat 23 Lubricates cultivated soil 22 ing, with the original exterior needing to be retained and the clock and chimes kept in working order.
Opponents to the sale can make a submission and also present to a council review panel.