Golden Plains Shire Council will open the Shire’s first co-working space at The Well in Smythesdale.
The new Digital Hub will deliver a modern and accessible co-working space with fast and reliable NBN internet and strong mobile phone coverage, at the busy community facility in the north of Golden Plains Shire.
As part of Council’s COVID-19 business support measures, Golden Plains Shire residents and businesses will have free access to the Digital Hub for the first 12 months of operation. With easy parking and open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, the Digital Hub will offer a comfortable and contemporary alternative to working from home.
Council is committed to supporting local business and the Digital Hub is a viable workplace option for both home-based business operators and employees who have a long commute, particularly those seeking strong, reliable connectivity or wanting to collaborate with others in a bright, professional workspace.
As final additions are made to the workspace, Council is asking potential uses of the Digital Hub to complete a quick survey to determine the most popular requests for the new space and to ensure the fit-out of the hub matches the needs of our local businesses and employees. Options include private office space, group meeting space and sound-proof booths for Zoom meetings and confidential phone calls.
The survey is open from 9 to 23 March, available at Council’s website or pick up a paper survey at Council’s Customer Service Centre at The Well. There will be two Open House sessions, inviting residents and potential users to view the Digital Hub space and share their needs for a co-working space, on Thursday 18 March, 4 to 6pm, and Saturday 20 March, 10am to 12pm, onsite at The Well.
Mayor Cr Helena Kirby says the Digital Hub, one of Council’s Priority Projects, will support local businesses and local people to work in the Shire.
“The new Digital Hub will be a modern and accessible co-workspace for local people who work in the Shire and local businesses who need an extra helping hand as they work hard to recover and rebuild following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Well is the perfect place to bring people together, with digital upgrades and new technology that will make the Shire’s first co-working space a great success. We look forward to hearing from future users about the wants and needs they have for the space and we encourage local people to stop by at the Digital Hub open houses.
“Council is pleased to make the Digital Hub free for Shire residents and businesses in the first year, as part of our COVID-19 business support measures, with this important project strengthening employment options and career development in Golden Plains.”
The new Digital Hub aims to improve community access to digital technology for residents in the Shire. The regular programs previously held in the Jubilee Room at the Well have been supported to relocate to other rooms or local facilities. There are still community spaces available for use at The Well as well as the library services, Ballarat Community Health, Woady Yaloak Historical Society, Smythesdale Pharmacy and Council’s Customer Service Centre.
The project to transform an existing meeting room into the new Digital Hub, including technology and connectivity upgrades and new furniture was supported by the Victorian Government, with the new Digital Hub scheduled to open mid-2021.