“The library has been very popular and it comes with its own gaming area,” the Brimbank council employee says proudly.
Thankfully, considering Brimbank’s love of a punt, gaming options in the council’s new Brimbank Community and Civic Centre are all about the computer variety, not poker machines.
It’s Star Weekly’s first visit to the new $52million ‘Taj Mahal’, as some more cynical residents dub it – and it’s hard not to be impressed.
Standing in the foyer, it’s strikingly obvious the vision for the Hampshire Road civic centre is about honouring Sunshine’s industrial heritage.
The rear walls of the library are dotted with large images of Sunshine’s industrial past – snapshots from factories long since closed – sourced from the Melbourne Museum.
The ceiling of the library has a distinctive, some would say ‘cutting edge’ saw-tooth design that has to be seen to be appreciated.
And a Harvester machine hangs above the foyer.
“It was quite a feat to get this hung,” Simone, our guide, says.
The cables holding it in place can take seven tonnes of weight we’re told – luckily the Harvester weighs just two.
“All of your customer inquiries will be handled here,” Simone says of the front desk, where touch screens make the chore of perusing council plans and documents more engaging.
The building looks to the future, too, with spaces available across four of its seven floors for businesses and government agencies to rent.
Only the first two floors are open to the public.
Council diehards and democracy devotees will get to know the chambers on the first floor, where the council’s first meeting will be held on August 16 – it comes with moveable walls.
“This is what I reckon is the best part,” Simone beams, leading us to the second level of the library, which is flooded in natural light, with a kids’ amphitheatre and Sunshine’s best view of Hampshire Road.
“And this is our toy library, which is obviously pretty popular, as there’s nothing in it,” she jokes, pointing to the shelves emptied of toys by the many kids at play.
Brimbank’s youngest generation is clearly loving the new centre.
