Hobart Mayor Anna Reynolds determined to bring safe space plan to reality

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds has scheduled meetings this week involving the Hobart City Mission and Salvation Army to brief “key people” about the importance of supporting plans for a safe night space for the homeless.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds is opening up a private room at Town Hall as a public reading room. Picture: PATRICK GEE

BUILDING support for a drop-in shelter to help the city’s homeless is one of Anna Reynolds’ priorities as she enters her second year as Hobart Lord Mayor.

Cr Reynolds said plans for a safe night space were continuing and she was working with Hobart City Mission and the Salvation Army to secure the $400,000 needed to get the project started.

“It’s such an important project for Hobart, because most other capitals have something like this and with our climate, it essential that rough sleepers have somewhere to go in extreme weather,” she said.

Cr Reynolds is realistic that local government can only extend its reach so far in tackling homelessness in Hobart and she is hopeful the State Government and private sector will come on board.

MAYOR PROUD OF YEAR IN OFFICE

“It will only get off the ground if it’s a partnership between government and the private sector,” she said.

“In other cities, private philanthropy is an essential ingredient to the success of these kind of innovative projects.”

The City of Hobart has agreed to provide its Youth Arc centre at the rear of City Hall for free as part of the pilot project.

“If we can show the model works, our next step will be to work together to find a more permanent facility that can be a drop-in safe shelter 24 hours a day,” Cr Reynolds said.

“There is lots more work to do and finding those supportive partners is crucial ... Hobart is a caring city and I am hopeful we can make this happen.”

Cr Reynolds has scheduled meetings this week involving the Hobart City Mission and Salvation Army to brief “key people” about the importance of supporting the safe night space.

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