PrintRecreation House
The ORC - Victoria lnc (ORC) was established to help outdoor recreation and education organisations better serve their members and promote their activities.
The ORC has been located at Viewbank on Parks Victoria land since 1988. This has enabled the ORC - Victoria - Inc. to extend it’s services to the provision of affordable office space and physical support to outdoor clubs & organisations.
In the past, the ORC has provided such office space for a range of organisations in the outdoor industry including;
- ORC - Victoria - Inc,
- Canoeing Victoria,
- Orienteering Victoria,
- Bushwalking Victoria (formerly VicWalk),
- Playgrounds and Recreation Association of Victoria
- Victorian Bushwalking & Mountaincraft Training Advisory Board
- Disabled Wintersports Victoria
- Victorian Snowsports Association
- The Camping Association of Victoria.
The Viewbank premises had been recognised for some time as being inadequate for the ORC and its continued growth.
In 2002 and following discussions between members of the ORC board and the Minister for Sport and Recreation regarding the current accommodation, lease and tenant arrangements, the State Government made an election commitment of $500,000 to upgrade these facilities at Viewbank.
During the course of 2003 this opportunity fostered more discussion between Parks Victoria (PV) and Sport and Recreation Victoria (SRV) regarding the suitability of the existing building and alternative Parks Victoria options that would benefit all parties involved. Westerfolds Park was identified by PV as a preferred option to rebuilding at the Viewbank site.
- To provide a shared accommodation option where outdoor recreation organisations in Victoria can work and plan collaboratively, sharing knowledge, resources and skills,
- To establish a setting that fosters, encourages and enables like organisations to respond to key industry priorities, trends and changing environments,
- To support the continued growth of the sector through the provision of information, education and training
- To provide a centre that reinforces the link between outdoor recreation organisations and the natural environment within which those activities are undertaken, as part of the Government's Health Parks Healthy People strategy
- To demonstrates best practice in organization sustainability
- To create a centre that supports the development of the outdoor recreation sector in Victoria at all levels to achieve maximum impact/effect from the available resource and investments
- To develop strategies for potential recreation services, facilities and activities aimed to enrich the lives of the local community,
- To enable associations & organisations in the outdoor recreation sector in Victoria to work and plan collaboratively
- To enable the ORC - Victoria to host a program of seminars, forums, training and development opportunities for organisations, board members, leaders, teachers
- To develop a central bureau for shared IT support services,
- To establish a meeting venue for workshops, training, AGM's and other support functions
- A venue to support those that provide outdoor recreational opportunities as opposed to a place to conduct such activities, although such programs and activities may be held within the surrounding parkland,
- To provide potential for an incubator setting that will enable emerging outdoor recreation organisations/businesses and their administrators learn from established recreational professionals and organisations
- An administration hub for a range of tenants that compliment each other with potential sharing of:-
- IT hardware and IT support
- Photocopiers I Facsimile machines
- Office space
- Administration areas
- Meeting and training rooms
- Support staff
- Program delivery - generic and specific
- Organisational I professional development
- Opportunities for student and trainee placements
- Access to relevant statistics, data, guidelines, resources and sample submissions
- Equipment storage space available to tenant organisations
- Easy access to the Yarra River for water based activity organisations
The ORC -Victoria -Inc's Committee, Staff and members were honoured to have the new building Officially opened in March of 2007 by the Honourable James Merlino MP, Minister for Sport, Recreation and Youth affairs.
For any information regarding office space, use of the meeting, conference or storage facilities please contact us on (03) 8846 4100 or email us at info@orc.org.au;