Neighbourhood centre buys its own home

THE Lismore Neighbourhood Centre can now officially call their Bounty Street premises home after Lismore City Council voted to formally sell them the building.

Staff from the Lismore Neighbourhood Centre. Picture L-R Rodney Davidson, Julie Massey, Noelene Hickling, Kathryn Lynch, May King and Jenni Beetson (CEO). Photo Patrick Gorbunovs / The Northern Star. Picture: Patrick Gorbunovs

THE Lismore Neighbourhood Centre can now officially call their Bounty Street premises home after Lismore City Council voted last night to formally sell the building to the organisation.

The lease on the premises, which has been rented to the Lismore Neighbourhood Centre by council for ten years, was due to run out in May 2013, so the sale comes at the right time for the community-orientated group.

CEO of the Lismore Neighbourhood Centre, Jenni Beetson-Mortimer, said "It's fantastic; it's great to call it home."

"It's not the unknown for us anymore."

"I guess what it means for us too is in terms of our funding bodies, we can show to them that we're a secure organization."

"It shows that we're a stable and secure organization, that we have accommodation, that we can cater for new services, to bring on board new services, but also that we're secure in I guess our financial viability to be able to operate services."

"It's difficult for organizations if you're renting."

"It's so important for us because security of tenure, particularly when you're applying for government grants is really important, so it gives us, I guess, a long term home. It provides a facility where we know into the future we can provide services to the community and we know that we are secure and safe here."