Almost $10,000 for Inverloch Men’s Shed safety upgrade

Inverloch Men’s Shed will be creating a second accessible route after receiving almost $10,000 from the state government.

The grant will allow the shed to excavate and concrete a path along the side of its Sandy Mount Avenue building, giving people using wheelchairs or mobility scooters another way out of the building.

Gas cylinders currently blocking the new route will also be relocated before the work begins.

Currently anyone escaping through the rear of the shed has to travel through the barbecue area and navigate a set of stairs.

That presents a great risk if a fire or another emergency blocks the accessible exit at the front of the building.

Inverloch Men’s Shed president Trevor Key said the new route would provide a safer alternative.

“If there’s a fire here out the front, we need to be able to escape there and then go down,” he said.

“There are steps going up there, which are no good for people with mobility problems. The new route will be all wheelchair access, straight down and out the side of the building.”

The project is expected to cost about $12,500, so the shed will have to contribute the remaining amount.

Treasurer Bill Damm said about six of the shed’s current members possess mobility issues and would directly benefit from the new project, including several who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

“That’ll definitely help them,” he said.

The shed has been notified that its application was successful but is still waiting for the funding to be released. Once that happens, the contractor who supplied the quote is ready to begin.

Mr Key expects the work to take place within the next two or three months.

Bass MP Jordan Crugnale visited the shed on Wednesday, September 16 to congratulate the members and tour the facility.

She said the grant would make an important contribution to safety and accessibility at the established shed.

“Sometimes the smaller grants can make the biggest impact,” she said.

Ms Crugnale said 37 organisations would share more than $863,000 through this year’s Men’s Shed Funding Program.

The Inverloch Men’s Shed currently has 58 members.

Its first meetings were held at the Inverloch Community House in 2013 before the purpose-built shed officially opened in July 2017.

The building has since expanded and is also used by other local groups, including the CWA and Probus.

And the shed is still looking to attract more people.

It’s currently preparing to run furniture-making courses where participants can build their own timber table.

One course is almost full, while the shed is discussing a separate session for members of the Korumburra Women’s Shed.

Mr Key said the courses were open to men and women, with evening sessions designed for people unable to attend during the day.

“We want to build more courses for men and women who can come in at night,” he said.

“If people come and say, ‘I want to do something, can you show me how to do it?’, we’ll see how we go. If we’ve got someone who’s qualified, we’ll definitely help.”

New members are welcome at the shed, which opens 9.30am to midday every weekday.

“Anyone can come in at any of those times,” said Mr Key.