A year ago strong winds caused $80,000 worth of damage to the Goornong Recreation Reserve Hall. Repairs began a couple of weeks ago.
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External roof repairs began two weeks ago and will be followed by internal repairs and work on a damaged brick wall.
Goornong Recreation and Pool Committee president Tom Ryan said it had been a slow process to get to this stage.
"It's pretty much taken 12 months to get the works started," he said. "The roof is being fully replaced and there is still damage to an external wall, which is a different type of insurance.
"There are still some hurdles but there is just a bit of flashing to finish the external roof and then work starts on the internal side. Water got into the roof area and damaged plaster sheeting."
On June 29, last year a tornado that destroyed a house in Axe Creek. Strong winds later hit Goornong, causing $80,000 worth of damage to the hall.
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Community groups have since been unable to fully use the hall as they waited for repairs.
"We still operated at the pool but we don't use half the building," Mr Ryan said. "We couldn't use the kitchen and haven't been able to hold events.
"It's the hub of the community. We generally have Australia Day there but had to skip a few things like that this year. The school went to Bendigo on buses for its swimming carnival.
"COVID has also limited a lot of the stuff we do but the last 12 months we have been house-hopping at committee members' homes to have meetings."
Delays were cause by a number of organisations required to sign off on different things.
"It's been a real nightmare," Mr Ryan said. "Plenty committee members were going to resign because of nightmare about who was taking responsibility.
"(Department of Land Water and Planning) look after the land component and we didn't get any traction until Elmore Field Days when committee members bumped into (City of Greater Bendigo) mayor Margaret O'Rourke and (CEO) Craig Neimann.
"They weren't aware things hadn't started. From there DELWP paid a $20,000 insurance excess and we had an on-site meeting with council. It took the mayor getting involved before we saw any action."
Mr Ryan said he hopes repairs will be completed by the summer season when swimming and cricket are expected to take over the recreation reserve.
"It would be nice to see it up and running before the pool season," he said. "We don't have a date (of completion) set but now the roof is on and internal work has started, we will be able to use the facility."