The Toongabbie Mechanics Institute has received much needed love recently.  Some water damage had appeared in the hall with peeling paint and water marks, so after a bit of investigation, the cause was found to be a rusted out piece of guttering in the ONLY section not visible from the ground ( of course ).  It seems this must have been happening over a long period of time until it became evident with the paint beginning to peel. So began the process of ” what do we do now? “.  Quotes were sought and with great gratitude to the Latrobe City and their Community Grants program , we were successful in gaining a grant to repair the section of wall and replacing the guttering, with a new downpipe and box section installed.  Our successful contractor, JSL Builders have done an amazing job.  They have stayed true to the amenity of the heritage of the old building and with absolutely no disruption to the halls use.  Australia Day celebrations and other functions all took place without a hitch.  

Without the help of the Latrobe City Council and their programs, I fear we would have suffered further deterioration which would have become a major issue for us. 

While this was all happening, a previous grant from the Latrobe City Community Grants program allowed us to reclad the exterior of the toilet block. It had all rotted due to exposure to the weather over the last  30 years.  So now that the outside was taken care of, it was time to take care of the inside.  It has all been repainted, and looks fresh and clean.  Bunnings made a gracious donation toward the cost of the paint, which always helps a small committee like ours to achieve outcomes.

Tracy – Toongabbie Mechanics Hall Committee, March 2026