19/12/2025
Community groups are responding to Manningham Council's Warrandyte Community Facilities Review. Council have taken 18 months to release the report of their review into Warrandyte's community infrastructure, leaving facilities' maintenance and upgrades in limbo... and putting forward only "opportunities" which may take months or years to see any action. Meanwhile some groups are fearing for their future with Council considering relocating the Scouts, the Historical Society, and Kindergarten, leaving a Sword of Damocles hanging over our heritage buildings. And still no home for our Men's Shed.
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Community groups across Warrandyte say they were blindsided by Manningham Councilβs Community Facilities Review, describing it as a bureaucratic, top-down exercise that failed to genuinely consult those most affected or properly measure real community benefit.
The review proposes consolidating long-standing local organisations into fewer multi-use sites, including relocating the Warrandyte Scouts and menβs shed from their dedicated Scout Hall into the Warrandyte Community Hall
For many groups, the public release of the report felt less like consultation and more like a decision already made.
Scout leader Chris Padgham has warned the proposal threatens the very survival of the group. After more than 70 years in Warrandyte, Scouts fear losing a recognisable, purpose-built home will strip away identity, safety and functionality - the things that keep volunteers, children and families engaged.
The review repeatedly labels halls, scout facilities and museums as βunder-utilised assetsβ, but critics say this reveals a narrow, spreadsheet-driven mindset. A building used several nights a week by children, volunteers and families may not appear efficient on paper, yet its true value lies in social connection, continuity and trust built over generations.
Other groups share the same frustration. The Warrandyte Historical Society fears displacement from its long-standing museum, while early-years providers say vague timelines and conditional proposals make it impossible to plan or invest with confidence. Across the community, organisations report uncertainty, anxiety and a sense they are being moved around to solve council asset problems rather than meet local needs.
While council maintains no final decisions have been made, the damage is already evident. Trust has been eroded, and many residents feel the review prioritises consolidation, cost and compliance over Warrandyteβs lived community reality.
If council is serious about strong, resilient communities, it must pause, reset and co-design solutions with the people who built these institutions - not present them with a plan after the fact.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/scouts-say-they-will-wither-and-die-without-their-hall-20251218-p5noqp.html
