Although no official announcement has yet been made, we understand that the Shire is negotiating the purchase of the southwest corner of the Chapel on private land from its owner based on the badly sited fence described here.  This is a major blow for our group – because our restoration plans (based on Council’s own Conservation and Management Plan!) would be severely curtailed by such a constraining boundary.

Dedicated members of the CYMCA, and other involved community groups, despair as the Shire Council endorses a boundary fence which effectively destroys an appropriate entry to the Chapel.

The siting of the boundary is not in accordance with the Council’s own Conservation Management Plan, completed at a cost of $30,000 at ratepayer’s expense.  Its proximity hinders restoration of the stonework of the chapel entry and reinstatement of the plaque dedicated to Cyril Young which was mysteriously “removed” from the entrance pillar some years ago. From our point of view, Council has significantly bungled the property acquisition.

Disappointingly, the CYMCA (as a major stakeholder) has not been included in any of the negotiations for purchase of the land.  Nor has Council communicated any decision regarding the outcome, despite its policies, strategic plans and sound bites about ‘community engagement’.

All those involved in the Chapel project , the CYMCA (with reps from the Shoreham Community Association, Flinders RSL Sub-Branch, Flinders & District Historical Society, the Shoreham Roads and Reserves Working Group, YMCA Vic, ex-campers at Camp Buxton and Shoreham residents) have consistently been ‘left in the dark’ through all the critical phases of land negotiations with the adjacent landholder.

It can only be hoped that the current boundary fence can be renegotiated in future to give the chapel the entry it deserves for such a culturally significant site.