Work on our new $2.6 million kidzspace centre at Kangaroo Flat is underway. In this new blog we meet the Bendigo builders and sub-contractors using their expertise to make our dream a reality.

PAINTER Bert McIvor has been active in the Bendigo community for decades.

A former footballer for Eaglehawk and the Bendigo interleague squad, Bert was on the BFNL board, still serves on the Hall of Fame selection panel and is one of the Hawks’ club sponsors.

He has also helped raise money for the Breast Cancer Network by waiting on guests at annual Girls Night In events, hosted at home by wife Jacinta and a large group of her friends, for nine years.

This community-minded spirit is well reflected in his business, Bert McIvor Painting, which has been sub-contracted for work on several important building projects in Central Victoria.

The latest is kidzspace Bendigo – a $2.6 million children’s health and wellbeing centre being constructed in Helm Street Kangaroo Flat.

The facility is part of a new approach to Bendigo Community Health Services children’s and family programs, creating a specialist hub that aims to improve the long-term outcomes of youngsters throughout the region by providing early intervention, education and clinical services.

“It is certainly satisfying, being involved in the local Bendigo community and projects like this,” says Bert.

“We also did some work on the headspace (youth mental health service) building in Mundy Street, which is along similar community lines, and are doing Marist College at the moment.”

Bert and his team of up to eight painters and apprentices will apply about 300 litres of Australian-made Haymes Paint to the interior and exterior of the kidzspace building.

The business has operated in Bendigo for 20 years, with Bert proud to say all his staff started off as apprentices. Some are still with him after 12 years.

“We like to bring our apprentices through,” he says. “We don’t advertise – we get our work through recommendation, which is a good way to be.”