Multimillion-dollar plans for CBD centre revealed
Construction imminent as organisation adds second building to bold Coffs Harbour vision
Coffs Harbour
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FOLLOWING the announcement of plans for 40 apartments in the Coffs Harbour CBD, Mission Australia have revealed the second stage of their development.
The charity will construct a multimillion-dollar community hub next to their social housing development on Duke St, bringing all their services in the region into one space.
The Mission Australia Centre, funded entirely by donations, is described by the charity as an inclusive, vibrant centre offering a range of tailored community services to address the needs of vulnerable locals.
So far Mission Australia have raised $2.1 million for the development but would not confirm what the final cost of the build would be.
With 2016 Census data showing Coffs Harbour has seen a 15 per cent increase in homelessness and its Federal electorate of Cowper sitting in the top ten for rental stress, Mission Australia's Mid North Coast manager Charoah Evans said more must be done to ensure everyone had a safe place to call home.
"This new centre will be a safe, welcoming place where people and families facing some of life's biggest challenges can easily and safely access a range of programs and services in one convenient location.
"The inclusive environment will nurture opportunities for social connection with the wider community and create a space where local service providers, individuals and organisations can gather and collaborate for the benefit of the whole community."
Coffs Harbour is set to be home to Mission Australia's sixth Mission Australia Centre, with existing locations including Sydney's Surry Hills, Kingswood and Miller, as well as Western Australia and Tasmania.
Construction on the Centre and the 40-unit housing development next door will start in the next few weeks and is expected to be completed towards the end of next year.
Design and building of the development has been awarded to local construction firm Lipman who have delivered other notable projects such as Coffs Central and C.ex Stadium, and are currently working on the TAFE redevelopment.
Project manager Mike Zucker said the company was very excited to be involved in a local development that would support people who were doing it tough.
"We are proud to be involved in this project and really looking forward to the finished product and what it can provide," he said.
The $8.6 million housing project announced in July is set to mark a "new generation" of social housing with a mix of older and younger residents occupying different levels of the five storey development.
There will also be two indoor communal rooms as well as outdoor areas including a community garden.
Anyone keen to support the project can contact Mission Australia's Partnerships Manager, Peter Murray at MurrayP@missionaustralia.com.au or 0413 940 026.
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