The Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad today visited the site for the new Benalla library, which responds to overwhelming demand and support from the local community.
“The Brumby Labor Government is contributing $450,000 to help Benalla families access the library-based services they want and need,” Ms Broad said.
“The partnership between the Brumby Labor Government and the Benalla Rural City Council will treble the library area and provide access for people with disabilities.”
“The library’s construction will boost jobs and the local economy,” Ms Broad said.
Ms Broad thanked the local community including the Friends of the Benalla Library group and the Benalla ALP Branch for their support of funding for the new library.
Minister for Local Government, Richard Wynne said the Benalla Library and Community Resource Centre was just one of 15 new library projects to benefit from the $3.63 million committed to the 2009 Living Libraries Program, extending the program to even more Victorian communities.
A total of 121 projects have now been funded through the Brumby Labor Government’s commitment of $31.5 million to the Living Libraries Program.
“The Living Libraries Program will result in bigger, better, brighter libraries for Victoria that meet the needs of the modern library user and bring facilities into the 21st Century,” Mr Wynne said.
Benalla Rural City Council has also just received a portion of funding allocated to the High Country Library Corporation from the Brumby Labor Government’s record $32.9 million funding for the 2009-2010 Public Libraries Grants Program. The High Country Library Corporation received $495,143, an increase of 3.3 per cent from last year.