The Dimboola community is being asked to comment on the future of the old Dimboola Hotel site. Current property owner, Dimboola expat Graeme Schneider, had long been an advocate for saving the historic building with an eye to repurposing it for town use. Unfortunately, this prospect failed, the site being acquired in 2015 after the original building had been demolished in 2013, ten years after fire gutted this iconic building. The vacant site now provides a rare, generational opportunity to determine Dimboola's direction.

The site is considered a critical, important community space, being seen as pivotal to Dimboola's prosperity and can provide the town with a unique character, similar to what the old hotel once defined. It's now Graeme's intention to review the various development options available, including possible community ownership, and is currently investigating ways to appropriately redevelop the site for public use and as a way to reinvigorate the town's economy.

To this end, late 2015 Graeme commissioned a Site Analysis Study with architectural firm NEAD, who through a consultation process with the business community, Hindmarsh Shire and specialists, released the Stage 1A report early this year. NEAD identified a number of economic and social opportunities for Dimboola and whilst a useful overview, the report is only part of the bigger picture. Graeme believes it is imperative for project success to involve the community and open up the conversation about the wants and needs of the town.

On Saturday 18th March 2017 at 11.00 am, the Dimboola community is invited to join Graeme onsite, to discuss plans and ideas for future development and to watch the official planting of the site's first shade trees, a Scarlet oak and October Glory maple. Clive Jenkins, local director will be filming on location and conducting a Vox Pop of community ideas that come out of these discussions. Allambi's "Slow Simmer' will be holding a sausage sizzle. This informal function is intended to both gather resident's opinions and inform the community of development progress.

For further enquiries or details, Graeme Schneider can be contacted via email on bbb@benalla.net.au

Photo above: Demolition work at the Dimboola Hotel site on February 4 2015. (Photo by Bronwyn Hastings.)