Construction begins on new Atherton Community Centre
A “one stop shop” for community services on the Tablelands has hit a new milestone as construction begins on a new centre.
Cairns
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Work has begun on a $2.2m community centre in Atherton hoping to provide emergency relief and counselling services in a “one stop shop”.
Concrete slabs will be poured for the Better Together Atherton Community Centre in the coming weeks, marking a significant milestone for the project.
Better Together’s Community Development coordinator Tracey Dickinson said she was happy to see the new centre finally come to fruition.
“I am really excited about the new centre and what it will mean for us and the community,” Ms Dickinson said.
“We really need the new centre not only for Better Together as an organisation, as we are very short on space, but also the new building opens up so many options for volunteering and participation in the community.
“Just as the foundation is important on a building, volunteers are the foundations of our organisation.”
The new centre is expected to provide an open and safe space for Tablelanders.
“We hope the community can really get behind the new facility, claim it as their own and create more opportunities for community co-operation, and that it might encourage people to volunteer and be part of our events and activities as we become more visible in the community,” Ms Dickinson said.
Communities and Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch said the state government was proud to support the new centre.
“The Atherton Community Centre is a cornerstone of the local community, delivering services and supports for some of the most vulnerable people in the community, the Palaszczuk Government is providing $1.9 million towards this important project.”
The new facility will include a larger community garden than the Mabel Street centre and will include a meeting space for community events.
The location, on Robert St between the library and the Scout hut, puts Better Together as the centre of a potential community services “precinct”.
The new community centre will be the “glue” between the existing services and provide a meeting point for the community.
“The community needs this centre as there are lots of people struggling at the moment and there are more that come to our door every week. This centre will provide a much-needed additional resource for those people.”
To volunteer at the centre, call 4091 3850.
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Originally published as Construction begins on new Atherton Community Centre
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