New PICAL home taking shape

A MILESTONE has been reached for Phillip Island Community and Learning Centre (PICAL) rebuild, with the first rooms of their new building arriving last week.

PICAL is relocating from its current site to Warley Avenue in Cowes to make way for the new Phillip Island Community Hospital. 

The new ‘modular’ buildings, which have been prefabricated in Melbourne, were hoisted into place last week. 

It is expected that the new site will be handed over to PICAL by the end of November. 

PICAL centre manager Greg Thompson said the organisation was the excited to see their new premises taking shape.

“To the best of our knowledge we are still on schedule to move in their at the end of November this year,” he said.

“The modular buildings are all being bolted together and progressing very well.”

After much anxiety over the past year due to their relocation and timeline uncertainty, Greg added they were extremely relieved everything was finally falling into place. 

However, he added PICAL has temporarily ceased their community garden due to preliminary works beginning on the new community hospital. 

“We’re still negotiating with the shire on our second campus, which will accommodate the community garden,” he said. 

“What we’ve had to do in the interim is demolish our current community garden and it’s important we re-establish that as soon as possible.”

Greg added the garden is a vital part of their food relief program. 

“We’re very anxious to get the new garden up and running,” he said. 

At the shire’s May meeting, council had voted in favour to amend the Blue Gum Reserve Master Plan, to incorporate a PICAL’s community garden which couldn’t be relocated at their new site. 

The garden will be leased from council by PICAL, however, timelines are yet to be provided on when this occur. 

Council is also looking to develop a community hub for Cowes within Blue Gum Reserve, with a range of groups being co-located within the former CFA site.

The total cost for the construction of the Community Garden was estimated to be around $278,000, with PICAL contributing $38,764 towards the project.