By Mikayla van Loon
A new DVD exchange library in Mooroolbark is just one part of a bigger community initiative trying to bring people together and get conversations started.
A collaborative project between the Mooroolbark Umbrella Group (MUG) and Mooroolbark Traders Group, Shop 16 evolved from the idea of a community connector project.
“It is really about just having somebody be a central person to connect all the different elements of Mooroolbark and all the different community groups and encourage more participation because of all the various things happening in the area,” Yolande Pickett said.
“A lot of those people that are heavily involved are retired and there needs to be new energy coming in and younger people coming in so they can sit down a bit, they’re getting a bit exhausted.”
Being successful in applying for a grant with Yarra Ranges Council, the project has been able to move forward and is getting ready to start developing community programs based out of shop 16 at the Mooroolbark Terrace Shopping Centre.
“The Terrace is a place where nobody really knows what’s going to happen here, so it doesn’t have the security of long term goals but you’ve got to use this space,” Yolande said.
“It’s making the space safer for people to walk around in because there’s more people here as well. But also there’s an empty shop, so let’s make use of it and see what people want to do with it.”
From a community call out, Yolande said people expressed their interest in hosting art workshops, exhibitions, first aid training, mums groups or just a spot to meet and chat.
One of the ideas that came from the community discussion was a DVD exchange library, where people can donate DVDs and come and collect them when they need something to watch.
Michelle Salmon said she had originally thought it could be a street library but when someone suggested Shop 16 she knew it was the right fit.
“It was just so positive from [Yolande] and that gave me a lot of energy to talk to the people in the Buy Nothing Group (social media) and there wasn’t a problem with people donating DVDs,” she said.
Collecting boxes of DVDs she has just started setting up a space in the shop ready to create a diverse collection of films ready to watch.
It’s a swap, take, replace system, open to everyone but Michelle is aware there will be some disappearances along the way.
“If they go they go but I believe that we can keep up with DVDs because people will come in and they won’t have a problem donating,” she said.
For Michelle, someone who hasn’t watched many films herself, she said she’s looking forward to learning about the movies people talk about so often but more so connecting with others.
“I like the thought of us all just being here and meeting people who live in Mooroolbark,” she said.
“It just seems to snowball as soon as you do something for someone, a good hearted person wants to do in return to help you out. So therefore, everyone’s looking out for each other.”
Yolande said not only does the collective hope the DVD exchange becomes a great community meeting point but that it can reinstate the food pantry and book exchange as well.
“We’re just waiting for volunteers to put their hand up and say, ‘I’d like to manage the food pantry’,” she said.
“We’d love volunteers to come in and say ‘I’d like to be in charge of environmental sustainability and talk about how we manage our waste and things like that in the shop’ or ‘I’d like to come along and offer a particular program’. We’d love people to come with their ideas.”
To share your ideas, contact Ashleigh Clingin on 0448 723 529 or email ashleigh@cumulusrising.com
