The new signage will soon be up at the Mugga Lane site. Photo: James Coleman.
Tomorrow, Friday, 31 May, marks the beginning of a new era for Canberra.
The Green Shed, a local institution of 13 years, becomes Goodies Junction under its new operators, St Vincent de Paul Canberra/Goulburn (aka, Vinnies).
The details of the process are still under investigation by the ACT Audit Office for its “fairness” and “transparency”, but the local charity won the ACT Government contract to manage the resource management centres at both Mugga Lane and Mitchell in early March.
The news whipped up a social media storm after (quickly dispelled) rumours that the Green Shed’s 84 staff might be losing their jobs. Vinnies reassured employees they were welcome to reapply and that the charity would, in fact, advertise more positions.
“We want as many people as possible to come and join the Vinnies family,” a spokesperson said at the time.
The roller doors came down on The Green Shed’s Mitchel facility at 5 pm, Wednesday, while over at Mugga Lane, staff were packing away the last few objects in trucks and giving the shed the final once-over on Thursday afternoon.
Clearing out the Mugga Lane shed. Photo: James Coleman.
Many of the same staff will return tomorrow as normal to fit out new drop-off areas at both sites. New signage will also be installed.
Goodies Junction will then open to the public on 1 July, and Vinnies promises business as usual.
“We have been working hard over the past few months to ensure a smooth transition for all staff with multiple touchpoints, including a casual meet-and-greet dinner last night to chat about what the first day will look like and what being employed by us will mean,” director of operations Lindsay Rae told Region.
Many Green Shed staff will become employees at Goodies Junction. Photo: James Coleman.
“The first day will involve an all-hands meeting, distribution of new uniform items and some training. Otherwise, it will be business as usual to ensure we are set up to accept donations from the community.”
The task of salvaging items from Canberra’s waste management centres began at the Mugga Lane tip in 1988 with Revolve.
Ellnor Grassby, who would go on to become one of the city’s first MLAs, opened it as a shipping container and scrap yard with the motto “recycling for job creation”. Staff would scour the tip each day for salvageable items.
A number of contractors followed over the years, but Charlie Bigg-Whither and his wife Sandie Parkes have been there more or less from the beginning, save a hiatus between 1999 and 2010 for family life.
With the help of Tiny and Elaine Srejic to begin with, the couple built The Green Shed into a business of four sites with 84 employees and more than 20,000 visitors a week.
Vinnies takes over the contract as it embarks on a mission to cut the number of items sent to landfill from its stores by 10 to 30 per cent over the next four years.
The charity said the business aligned with its sustainability values, and the proceeds would help fund its services and offer work experience and employment opportunities for those less fortunate in the community.
It also allows Vinnies to accept furniture donations, something their stores have been unable to do up to this point.
Just as particularly valuable items went to The Green Shed shop in Civic, “some items best suited to the Vinnies shops will be moved there”.
The Green Shed closure. Photo: James Coleman.
“Conversely, items that are donated at Vinnies but are best suited to Goodies Junction will be transferred over,” Mr Rae said.
“We believe this will further enhance the circular economy in Canberra, grow reusable services and reduce waste in the Territory.”
Even though The Green Shed’s popular ‘make-an-offer’ days are over, the government has said pricing will continue to be “transparent”. Vinnies has also promised a free clothes section and items starting from 25 cents.
Donations of furniture, electrical equipment, clothing, building materials and tools are all welcome at the usual drop-off points from 8 am, Friday, 31 May, at both the Mitchell and Mugga Lane venues, and then from 7:30 am to 4:45 pm, Monday to Sunday after that.
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