To Promote Men's Health in our Community
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We now meet regularly Tuesday to Friday, 8:30 to 12.30 - DETAILS HERE
The Time Line in Building Our Own Shed
These are the details of the building of our Maroochy Men's Shed at 11 Progress Road, Kaluin,
written as each stage was completed. As you can see, it took a bit longer that we anticpated. But the result is one we are all immensely proud of.
June 2018
A Huge Step Towards Building a Shed of Our Own
Roy and Nola Thompson, and Peter and Karen Hall Have made significant, generous contributions towards the Maroochy Men's Shed, a first step towards us purchasing a shed of our own.
Roy Thompson and wife Nola are well known Coast identities. Their philosophy has extended to the University of the Sunshine Coast, including the establishment and equipping of the Thompson Institute of Mind and Neuroscience.
They have also provided for scholarships for current and future students for many years to come. They were founding partners in the Sunshine Coast Rescue Helicopter Service, and are major supporters of Life Saving on the coast, Stella Maris Church and many others.
Peter Hall and wife Karen have also given a very generous contribution to our building fund. Peter was born and bred on the Sunshine Coast, and the company established by his father and continued by following generations is a major contributor to develoment and employment on the coast and overseas. Peter is a Past President of Rotary who established the Maroochy Men’s Shed.
Following these very generous injections of funds a Premises Committee was formed. The Sunshine Coast Council announced that the parcel of land at the quarry site, a portion of which had been promised to us for over two years, was to be released by the DMR. A meeting took place with SC Council, which we attended with high hopes. The council announced that the block was not now available so they reneged on their promise. Another, totally unsuitable, small block was offered.
The Premised Committee then decided to 'bite the bullet', and when a 2,000sqm block was advertised for sale across the road from our temporary shed, at 11 Depot Street, Westpac Bank was approached for a loan.
Having received positive indications from the bank, we were in a position to apply for a grant. Federal Member Ted O'Brian indicated the possibility of Commonwealth Development Grants becoming available before the end of December 2018, leaving us less than a month to forward an enourmous volume of documentation as required by the Westpac Bank and the Commonwealth.
June 2018
The Sign says SOLD
Yes, finance eventually went through with Westpac for settlement 24th December. The Maroochy Men's Shed can celebrate Christmas as the proud owners of their own block of land.
A survey has been carried out, and final plans are being drawn up. We may be in our own shed by 2019!
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November 2018
By the end of November 2018, Secretary Otto Reported:
Purchase of 11 Depot Street has gone unconditional, with settlement before Xmas;
A full survey has been done of the 2,028 s/m block
Westpac has agreed to lend near $400,000 for the purchase, on favourable terms
We have received Queensland Stamp Duty exemption
We have applied for a Federal Community Development Grant for our project
Terry’s floor plans for a 600 s/m building and adequate parking are well advanced
The Queenslanders with Disability Network have offered advice on design
Member Ian Smyllie has agreed to be our project manager. Good on you Ian.
If funding comes together, we may move in by the end of 2019.
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At our Shed meeting on Tuesday 18th December, Federal Member Ted O'Brian attended, and announced success in our application for a $450,000 grant.
AND
On Thursday 20th Westpac finalised our loan application.
April 2019
Two Milestones Reached:
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The minister signed off on the Commonwealth Grant agreed to in December. This followed agreement on the steps required for staged payment, and happened just days before the Prime Minister called an election which would have resulted in progress being halted until the new minister was in place.
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The Development Application went to Council. We wait for approval.
Site Plan Shed Plan Clearing the block
July 25 2019
Finally the signage is up on our block, and a public notice has been placed in the local paper.
This means that the Council Application has moved to the Public Consultation Phase and the Council have accepted the changes we made to their objections.
We hope there will be no submissions, and in 3 weeks receive approval.
August 28 2019
​The Council consultation period for rezoning of our land is over, with no objections received, and the signs are down. The next milestone is Council approval, which should take about a month. Every day a bit closer....
October 2019
With the Application and Building Approvals with Council, it's time to clear the block and do soil tests. As the site was previously a concrete works, there is endless reinforced concrete to remove.
January 12 2020
January 12th, Council approves our plans.
We can now choose from the tenderers which company will lay the slab and construct the shed.
Meanwhile work continues on clearing the site and constructing retaining walls.
March 2020
By January the Council approved plumbing and drainage works.Our builder Terry Welch has tendered for the 600sqm shed, and a supplier chosen.
Now the application for a permit for the shed has gone to SC Council.
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Meanwhile the drainage pipes for storm water and sullage to go under the slab in place.
April 1 2020
The shed permit has been approved by Council.
May 9 2020
The Department in Canberra has agreed to pay one third of the grant allocated to us. Work on the shed has not commenced, the slab has not been poured, and we have already spent a third of the grant monies. The bare shed itself is such a small part of the entire project.
May 28 2020
After many months of bad news with this Virus, and also a severe over run in our building costs, I am happy to inform you all of the very generous donation from Roy and Nola Thompson of $140,000. This will allow us to cover the extra costs that have come to light during the construction of our shed and surrounds and to finish our shed to a comfortable level.
This brings Roy and Nola's contribution to our shed to $390,000, an amount which without , our whole project really would have been many more years in the making.
It is without doubt a privilege to live in and share our community with people like Roy and Nola Thompson who have over the years contributed so much to the Sunshine Coast.
June 16 2020
The slab is down and two weeks later components for the shed begin to arrive.
Ready for construction to commence.
July 31 2020
Wetting the Roof - With the bare shed complete, this ceremony ensures that the roof will not leak.
Edith Blanck made a generous donation to the Shed in honor of her husband John, a long time member of our shed who passed recently.
February 2021
Maroochy Men's Shed our new home