New Australian Community Centre Opens Sustainably thanks to Alstom Foundation

On 26th January 2011 the officials of the Latrobe valley region in Victoria officially opened the Callignee Community Centre.

Callignee's new community hall, which received AUD 138,000 from the Alstom Foundation for sustainable energy efficiency, solar and water saving technologies, represents the rebirth of a community which was severely devestated by the Black Saturday bushfires in February 2009.

The Latrobe valley caters for around 14% of Australia's electricity generation capacity, and Alstom has been playing an important role in maintaining a number of the power stations there since 1997.

"Alstom currently employs over 140 people in the Latrobe Valley and this community is very important to us," said Wayne Bassee, Alstom's operations manager at Hazelwood Power Station.

"The community centre is the hub for the entire community in this region. Whether it's local women's groups, childrens groups, the community fire association or family get-togethers, this building acts as the focal point," he said.

The opening ceremony comes as relief efforts intensify for victims of severe flooding in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. Alstom Grid's transformer factory narrowly avoided flooding in the inundated town of Rocklea in Queensland. Alstom is currently raising funds to help victims of the floods which include four Alstom employees.

• Corporate Social Responsibility