Men get go-ahead for their big shed
THE fast-growing Yungaburra Men’s Shed got a reprieve of sorts when Tablelands Regional Council tossed out a recommendation by its own chief executive.
The group kicked off in December and already has some 30 members. It wants to use the Yungaburra Memorial Hall as a base. The council has the building slated for demolition.
Chief executive Gary Rinehart, in a report to the council, recommended the Men’s Shed be rejected.
He said the Men’s Shed would have to lodge a planning application for impact assessable development because it would be low or medium industry in a recreation space.
This left the Men’s Shed potentially homeless.
Mr Rinehart even said ministerial approval would be required to grant a lease to the Men’s Shed.
But at Thursday’s council meeting, Councillor Kevin Cardew moved that the Men’s Shed use was consistent with the intent of the recreation and open space zoning.
The council gave the Men’s Shed 18 months – but gave Mr Rinehart authority to negotiate a user agreement.
The Men’s Shed wants a book exchange library, computer facilities and a hobby area for screen printing, and says its core activity will be woodwork
– making owl nesting boxes, possum boxes, park benches or repairing broken furniture for community members.
Men’s Shed member Kevin Mackenzie said the hall was the only viable place in Yungaburra for the Men’s Shed.
“There’s a good number of other Men’s Sheds on sport and recreation land throughout the state but this council doesn’t feel it is in their capacity to allow it here – the amount of semi-industrial work is negligible, it’s more like a hobby, using hand tools, and we do it for mental health, it’s one of the ways Men’s Sheds operate and it’s very good,” Mr Mackenzie said.
“We won’t be allowed to do any work, so we’re handicapped, but we are happy to have a foot in the door for 18 months to prove ourselves. We are quite popular and that shows we are very needed in the community.
“Instead of council making a decision, they’ve pushed it back to the CEO, which seems a bit strange.”