Former Innisfail State High School building to open as indoor recreational centre by Ryan Melita

A YouTuber and his brother have revealed plans to breathe new life into an abandoned Far North eyesore. Check out their vision.

FOR more than a decade a derelict allotment of abandoned school buildings have created a major eyesore at the southern entrance of Innisfail, but new occupants are starting to turn the fortunes of the underused facility around.

The largely abandoned former Innisfail State High School premises bordered by Stitt St and River Ave, had attracted widespread rumours about its future use since the school moved to its new site next to the local TAFE in 2010.

Paintball, a zoo and a cinema were among the ideas thrown around the town, but year after year, the only progress was ever-growing mould on the buildings and yards that required heavy slashers to maintain.

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However, local businesses including environmental services and a group fitness gym have taken occupancy in some of the former school’s, now privately-owned buildings, with a local entrepreneur set to open a new recreational centre in what was an indoor sports facility.

Innisfail YouTuber Ryan Melita with brother Daniel have taken lease of the fully-enclosed octagon centre, with hopes of opening the Ryan Andrew Melita (RAM) Recreational Centre by the September school holidays.

Mr Melita who grew up in the town has invested about $20,000 towards the fit-out of the abandoned building with plans to primarily offer indoor tennis, rollerskating, an arcade as well as a space for private functions and events.

He said he would be guided by the town’s demand and consider introducing more sports over time.

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“We’ve had conversations with pickleball, the gel blaster community, we’re open to having discussions with the community and provide a space based on needs,” Mr Melita said.

The Melita brothers also operate a hotdog business, with their stall featuring at the local markets.

“So I’ve spoken to the organisers of markets and when it’s raining, which is a lot in Innisfail we can host markets here,” the 28-year-old said.

“And eventually we’ll do things like battle of the bands, or open mic comedy nights. Basically we’re trying to do things just to give people options, as if they were living in Cairns.

“We noticed a lot of our friends that have kids are going out of town for the weekends, we want them to be able to do things in town.”

Mr Melita said he and his brother had been working to refurb and refit the building for about the past three months.

“There were a lot of people that basically came in and trashed the place over the years, like you would expect. We’ve painted all the ways, scrubbed all the graffiti, and we’re washing the floor to remove the burnout marks,” he said.
Mr Melita has been filming the transformation for his YouTube channel – Ryan Melita – and said he was taking expressions of interest for local businesses to advertise in the centre by contacting [e-mail]

Originally published as Former Innisfail State High School building to open as indoor recreational centre by Ryan Melita