Construction is due to start on an $8.96 million revamp of Errington Community Centre later this month.
The revamp will include a second storey above the existing single-storey building and a 200-seat performing arts space, with meeting rooms, a rehearsal room, dance space, art and craft studio, consultation room, and education and training spaces.
The arts space was included following the donation of $2.5 million from the St Albans Community Centre Co-operative Ltd.
Three existing large halls will be reconfigured to be easier to use for more activities, with each room able to cater for up to 100 people or about 300 people when combined.
The redevelopment is expected to be completed by May next year.
Council acting community wellbeing director Kath Brackett said most current users had been relocated to temporary spaces in the Errington precinct.
Meanwhile, the council has replaced more than 8400 residential street lights with energy-efficient globes as it seeks to save more than $500,000 in annual electricity and maintenance costs.
Infrastructure and environment director Paul Younis said the replacement of 11,500 lights was on track to finish by June next year.
The council announced in April it was at stage two of upgrades in Albion, Ardeer, Brooklyn, Deer Park, Derrimut, Sunshine, Sunshine North and Sunshine West.
Lights in Taylors Lakes, Sydenham, Kings Park, Delahey, Keilor, Keilor Park and Keilor Downs were replaced last year.
The overhaul is expected to save an estimated 4400 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. That’s equivalent to taking 20,500 cars off the road. The project is one of five key Powering Down energy- efficiency drives the council is using to reduce environmental pollution by half.
The council also plans to plant 150,000 trees over the next two years as part of LeadWest’s One Million Trees project.
“Council is looking to plant trees along the Kororoit Creek and in many parks throughout the municipality,” Mr Younis said.
“Planning is now under way to finalise sites for half of the trees to be planted in 2016 and the remainder in 2017.
“Brimbank council has its own 10,000 trees program, which aims to plant that many trees a year in Brimbank’s parks and open spaces,” he said.
“Most recently, 1000 trees were planted as part of this program at Verona Drive Reserve in Taylors Lakes.”
