As anyone who has passed by knows, ACC is having a major external overhaul. By the end of this week our new doors should be finished (with clear glass so you can see in!). We’ve also given our book library a lick of paint … and thanks to a grant from the State Government, our new pergola our the front of the shed is nearly complete. The roof will go on Wednesday next week.

And we’ve got a new footpath! Council did half Thursday and the other half today.

Then we’ve got some plans afoot for the front garden … which will hopefully begin in the next month. A new sandpit. A new cubby house. Some nature-based water play and a lovely messy mud patch. Which will be great for our playgroups … and for the families in the neighbourhood that often drop in for a play out of hours.

We’re also looking at installing an outdoor kitchen under the pergola (neighbourhood friends I’m not sure where to start with this? We’re thinking an L-shaped stainless steel bench with a sink, an outdoor fridge and a BBQ … if anyone has any expertise/ideas/recommendations???).

So … we’ll be looking pretty swanky for the start of term 3!

Our new pergola was painted on Thursday..

Our book library has had a little makeover.

We’ve got a new footpath!

Just a quick update today on where we stand at ACC with reopening.

As of 1 June we can recommence more of our indoor programming (art and craft etc.) but it is still not possible to do any exercise classes inside (sorry line dancing friends).

And we are restricted in the numbers of people we can have in our centre. We must have 4 square metres per person. This will cut in half the number of people we generally have in each space.

We’re also getting advice and guidelines from other organisations - for example Playgroups Victoria has advised that playgroups should not recommence until next term. And Council has their own compliance guidelines for reopening their buildings that we need to work through carefully, along with a heap of guidelines from DHHS and Worksafe.

It’s all a bit complicated! So … we’ll be in contact with each group to work out an individual pathway that will likely feature some ‘blended’ online and in person arrangements as we transition.

In the meantime please note that we have quite a lot running remotely (using zoom, what’s app etc.) including:

• Choir

• Line dancing

• CWA

• Ukulele

• Book clubs

• Counselling

• Food relief, and

• Community art.

And of course our office remains open via phone and email (and will be increasingly womanned/personned onsite - although we will be continuing to follow the direction to work at home if we can).

If you are keen to join in any of the online programs, or any other programs when they restart face to face, please check out our brochure on the home page of our website for the contact details for each group.

Other news … our ramp is nearly finished! The book library is back, and our noticeboard is in place. Just rubbish removal and planting to go now. We’re getting there. Hooray.