Sarah Oliver
At just four years old, Doreen RSL is currently one of the youngest RSL’s in Australia.
Despite the club reaching almost 200 members, and expected to gain more soon, the veterans and members don’t have a permanent location.
President Wes Wridgeway said: “To be one of the newest RSL’s in Australia in this time of land values and building values, it’s very difficult to get assistance from anybody unless you can come up with a lot of money”.
The first two years of the club’s existence saw communications with the Whittlesea council at the time.
But due to the dismissal of the council in March, 2020, the RSL had to go “back to square one”.
Mr Wridgeway and his team are now in communication with the administrators at Whittlesea, requesting assistance to help locate a venue.
“We’re still in negotiations with council. They have made an offer to us just recently but it’s like trying to fit a size 10 foot into a size six shoe – it just didn’t work,” he said.
The last two years of multiple lockdowns and restrictions have affected the search for a permanent venue and proved difficult for both Doreen RSL and Whittlesea.
Whittlesea chief executive Craig Lloyd said council has “been working for some time to assist the Doreen RSL to find a home”.
“Whilst it is not the role of council, or its ratepayers to directly provide buildings for an RSL, we are currently in discussions about a suitable facility that will be the first permanent home for the group.”
But Mr Wridgeway said they are “still on the hunt”.
“If there are any developers out there or there’s any landowners, building owners who would like to help out and donate … for their veterans and their members of the community, that would be fantastic,” he said.
With restrictions set to ease this weekend, and the weather warming up, Mr Wridgeway expects members will be returning to the club and that membership will continue to grow.
