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Fed Square Men’s Shed gets funding

Fed Square Men’s Shed gets funding

The long haul for men’s shed advocates has reached its conclusion with funding for a Melbourne men’s shed at Federation Square announced last month.

The site, on the ground floor of the Fed Square car park, is likely to be as close to a Southbank Men’s Shed as locals can hope for, as the City of Melbourne is touting the shed as serving residents of the CBD, Southbank and Docklands.

The City of Melbourne will spend $160,000 over the next five years on the project, $45,000 fitting out the space, while the rest will contribute to rent over the first five years.

The State Government has also provided $60,000 as part of its investment into new men’s sheds across Victoria. Minister for Community Services Mary Wooldridge used the announcement at the Melbourne site to declare the statewide spending.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the shed was a vital piece of community infrastructure as more and more people called the inner-city home.

“This is an important project for our city community. Having a men’s shed at Federation Square, with easy access to public transport, is vital to ensuring inner-city men also have the opportunity to get their hands dirty,” Cr Doyle said.

Cr Beverly Pinder-Mortimer said the shed was open to all and pointed out the benefits of such a facility to unemployed and socially disadvantaged people and people with a disability.

“The men’s shed is an important champion of men’s health and welfare and we are delighted to support the CBD initiative,” Cr Pinder-Mortimer said.

Minister Wooldridge said the sheds were a fantastic community builder.

“Men’s sheds provide men with opportunities to develop and use new skills, establish social networks and give back to their local community,” Ms Wooldridge said.

“The establishment of a men’s shed in the heart of Melbourne is significant first for the precinct,” she added.

Ms Wooldridge explained that inner-city living lent itself to communal sheds such as this.

“It is particularly relevant for men who are retired, have downsized from suburban areas and no longer have access to a backyard shed, and often have no local community connections.”

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