Stage one of the Moe railway revitalisation project is on track to begin this year, with Latrobe City Council in the process of evaluating responses to tender.
“We’ve made a report to council on tenders received and are proposing to report back on 11 August,” Latrobe City’s acting chief executive John Mitchell said.
The project will include construction of a civic building and library on the south side of George Street.
A State Government funding commitment was cemented on Monday, with member for Narracan Gary Blackwood formally announcing $750,000 for the new library, which will replace the existing facility on Kirk Street.
The state has committed $3 million to the total project, while the Federal Government will provide $7.5 million and council will borrow $2 million.
Mr Mitchell said all of the necessary funding for stage one had been secured, except for $200,000 from a state pool.
Committee for Moe president Manny Gelagotis said the project would be “game-changing”.
“It will reinvigorate and instil confidence in our community,” Mr Gelagotis said.
Stage two of the project will include construction of a skate park and youth precinct, parkland and car park, along with a shared zone for Moore Street.
The project has been dogged by years of uncertainty and disagreement.
Most recently, doubt was cast over the federal funding contribution, after it was announced last year by the former Labor government, but not signed off on before the election.
In December, Member for McMillan Russell Broadbent reconfirmed the funding.
This came after a fierce community campaign to allow the project to go ahead, unchanged, after council announced a review in December 2012.
Some community members had opposed aspects of the plan, including the relocation of the library.
However, council voted in March 2013 to approve the project in its original form.
