Located in north-eastern Victoria, the Boho South Public Hall was established in 1949 and provides a place to hold tai chi sessions, the book club, CFA meetings, tennis, parties and weddings for the small farming and forestry community.
Managed and maintained by a volunteer committee of ten, fundraising for upgrades is facilitated through catering, barbeques and selling organic berries (usually supplied by district members) and ice-cream through a stall at a nearby festival.
The Hall and its committee sorely needed a storage shed so that maintenance and other equipment was accessible and safeguarded, without spoiling the amenity of the building with clutter. A ride-on mower had to be stored at community members’ homes – logistically less than ideal when it comes to keeping the Hall surrounds mowed, and burdensome for volunteers. Furniture, tennis nets, paint and tools are stored in the Hall, creating a cluttered environment which impacts the amenity of the facility.
The Boho South Public Hall Committee received a $3,157 grant from the Small Grants for Rural Communities program, thanks to funds from The R.E. Ross Trust to erect a shed, providing storage for a ride-on mower, furniture, equipment and tools.
While the project was slightly delayed with some adjacent trees requiring lopping because they would have infringed on the shed and posed a danger to the new construction, the addition of the storage shed for the Hall proved a success.
The local community celebrated its arrival with a barbeque, and it was unanimously agreed that it was a valuable addition to the Boho South Public Hall and even prompted some locals to volunteer their time for future projects.