General News
6 October, 2023
Ambulance station demolition right move, says Haylett
DEMOLITION of the old Inglewood ambulance station has been defended by Ripon MP Martha Haylett. Ms Haylett has been criticised for not working with the community to stave off demolition while talks were held with local campaigners wanting to retain...
DEMOLITION of the old Inglewood ambulance station has been defended by Ripon MP Martha Haylett.
Ms Haylett has been criticised for not working with the community to stave off demolition while talks were held with local campaigners wanting to retain the 1980s brick building.
Demolition crews moved onto the Hospital Street site last week and by Thursday morning the last of their equipment was being removed.
Ms Haylett this week refused to answer questions on whether it had been acceptable for the Government to claim asbestos was in the building as a reason for demolition, only to admit hours after crews arrived that the cancer-causing material was not present.
Instead, Ms Haylett repeated statements from the State Government over recent months when community agitation to keep the building increased.
“The State Labor Government is boosting ambulance resources in Loddon to ensure paramedics have the facilities and support they deserve to quickly respond to local emergencies,” she said.
“The brand-new station features a three-bay garage for ambulances, two rest and recline areas for hard-working paramedics to recuperate, a fully equipped kitchen and improved security and car parking to make sure paramedics stay safe.
“The project involved knocking down the no longer fit-for-purpose buildings on site to provide local paramedics with critical vehicle access – giving them the modern home base they need to do what they do best – save lives.
“I am eager to meet locals and council to discuss community facility needs in Inglewood in the near future,” Ms Haylett said.
Howard Rochester, who led protesters in a last-ditch bid to save the building, said as demolition started: : “We lost but (Ripon MP) Martha Haylett might lose too.
“This is community money that’s being ripped down by the Government,” Mr Rochester said.
“Money raised over 50 years by the ambulance auxiliary and the community ... all gone.”
Mr Rochester and others in the protest group had wanted the building retained for community use, housing or made available to Inglewood and Districts Health Service.