BENDIGO’S Discovery Science and Technology centre is now an “active and viable proposition” says the organisation’s chairwoman Katherine Legge.
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The centre was slated to close its doors on July 12 due to a funding shortfall of about $200,000 a year but dodged death thanks to a community campaign to keep it open.
At a function to celebrate Discovery’s survival on Thursday evening, Ms Legge said she had been “absolutely overwhelmed” by the response from the community.
She acknowledged the centre still had “a long way to go” but said much had been achieved in the months since it was announced the facility was in danger of closure.
Ms Legge thanked community members who had put their support behind the campaign to keep Discovery alive, as well as groups which have pledged support such as City of Greater Bendigo Council, Champions IGA, La Trobe University, Coliban Water, Bendigo Bank and Sunenergy Solar.
She said the facility’s new management committee was “task-oriented” and ready to work to make sure Discovery was around to educate coming generations of central Victorian children.
Discovery board member Ann Lansberry thanked the community for saving the centre.
“You came, you hugged Discovery, you signed petitions and you chipped in to the crowd funding campaign. You’re the reason Discovery is still open today,” she said.
A large crowd was at the function to commemorate Discovery’s survival with a celebratory explosion. A container of liquid nitrogen was placed in a bin of table tennis balls and heated to its boiling point, sending balls shooting to the building’s ceiling.