The Rockbank Environment and Activity Park (REAP) is proposed to be located at 160-170 Grieg’s Road Truganina on a 5-acre property.
When completed, REAP can best be described as a community hub that facilitates a range of activities that are based on health, education, activity and social interaction.
In implementing the masterplan, it is intended that external NGOs and community groups are invited to participate and facilitate the programs described. Many of these have already been approached and preliminary discussions had as to how to maximise the benefit of their involvement
Stage 1 – Make it work
Involves mostly remedial work bringing existing buildings into compliance including:
– Existing Main House as Administration and Meeting Rooms
– Secondary House as a Weekend School
– Existing Large Shed as a Multi-Purpose Space
This stage will involve some internal works and little to no external building works
Activities:
- Indoor sports and social activities (advancing health)
- Occasional seminars (advancing education)
- Prayer (Friday and Saturday only) (advancing religion)
- Festival celebrations (advancing culture)
- Weekend school (30 students) (advancing education)
Stage 2 – Fields of Dreams
Focuses on low-key capital works that promote attendance particularly from a youth demographic. It involves constructing a new Amenity Block and the establishment of a professionally laid Sports Field.
– A small Dedicated Chapel will be established for men and women in a new purpose-built space that caters for the Friday congregational prayer. It will have a capacity of approximately 150 worshippers.
– Olive Groves will also be planted in preparation for future environmental and eco-tourism functions
Activities:
- Prayer (Friday) (advancing religion)
- Outdoor Sports (advancing health)
- Permaculture Farming (advancing environment)
Stage 3 – Sow the seeds of Interaction
The first of the community-focused initiatives will be the establishment of a Men’s Shed under the auspices of the Victorian Men’s Shed Association within the existing workshop building.
Much of the existing multipurpose hall will be remodelled to include; a purpose-built Knowledge and Heritage Centre – the latter will consist of a constantly evolving exhibition and information gallery.
The Astronomical Society of Victoria (ASV) and Kevin Heinz Grow will be invited to hold weekly meetings and courses in purpose-built seminar rooms. The balance of the existing multipurpose hall will be remodelled but left as an empty shell for use as a small flexible-use hall space until fitted out in Stage 5 for its ultimate use. An associated Walkway and Observation Deck will also form part of the works.
The beginnings of the Market Garden will be sown under the direction of Kevin Heinz Grow and includes the establishment of a flock of chickens
Activities:
- Men’s Shed (mutual respect & mental health)
- Therapeutic Gardening (advancing health & disability support)
- Heritage Exhibitions (advancing culture)
- Seminars and Workshops (advancing education and health)
- Continuing Permaculture Farming (advancing environment)
Stage 4 – Cook up a storm
By this stage it is assumed that the permaculture effort is in full swing. The Farm to Plate Café will be open to the public promoting healthy living through locally grown and sourced organic ingredients as well as olive oil sampling as an eco-rural tourism feature. It will include a covered outdoor dining area.
A weekly Farmers Market will operate from a more formally defined Outdoor Piazza Space incorporating an Outdoor Theatrette Seating for performances.
The Car Park will be expanded in its ultimate position allowing for access to the site from other than Grieg’s Road
The remaining works for this stage will be mostly hard landscaping including: a playground, restoring the existing dam including a walk bridge, picnic grounds, nature walk path and an herbal/medicinal garden
Activities:
- Café and Dining (advancing health & employment)
- Sunday Market (monthly) (advancing mutual respect)
- Children’s play (advancing health)
- Environmental Restoration (advancing the environment)
- Outdoor Arts and Performance (advancing culture)
Stage 5 – Multi-Task
A new Multi-Purpose Hall will be built with seamless capability to facilitate; indoor sports, venue hire for functions, conferences and other celebrations. The hall will also include changerooms and amenities that service the hall functions as well as the sports field.
A Sports Pavilion will also be constructed adjacent to the sports field to accommodate spectators. Any remaining soft and hard landscaping including the additional car park and fencing will also be completed.
A separate Commercial Kitchen will occasionally service the Café but mostly provide for preparation of frozen meals for commercial and philanthropic purposes (Feed the Homeless Program) and as a training kitchen for Certificate 2 in Kitchen Operations.
Activities:
- Indoor sports (advancing health)
- Conferences (advancing education)
- Continuing Outdoor Sports (advancing health)
- Work Training (advancing education)
- Provision of frozen meals (social & public welfare)