Last week the building site for the new Yeronga Community Centre was officially opened. Community Plus staff and management committee members joined Mark Bailey MP, Graham Perrett MP and Cr Nicole Johnston to turn the dirt on the site, announcing the beginning of construction which is set to be completed by the end of this year.
Yeronga Community Centre was born out of the 2011 floods, originally forming the Yeronga Flood Recovery Centre, and quickly becoming a safe space for locals to regularly connect and find ongoing support, activities and programs.
Community Plus Resilient Communities Coordinator, Melinda McInturff expressed her excitement for the new centre, and how after 11 years of growth and changing location the Yeronga Community Centre finally feels like ‘coming home’.
“It is exciting to be here and to see work happening. Our community has waited a long time for this… We started less than 400m up the street [from this site]… Our Community Centre has moved 7 times since its inception and now, it is coming home.”
The site of the new Community Centre was originally home to the Yeronga TAFE and is now being transformed into a multi-use space. The new Yeronga Community Centre, Annerley will host the Annerley Stephens History Group and All Gauge Model Railway Club, the site will be further developed to deliver a new Queensland Health hub, alongside social and private housing.
Melinda expressed Community Plus’ eagerness to strengthen and grow partnerships with other organisations and groups sharing the space and in the locality “This is a milestone for us and our community, our volunteers and locals. We look forward to meeting all our neighbours, strengthening and building our collaborations and continuing to support community through our Neighbourhood Centre, Community Resilience and Tenancy Advice services, programs and social activities.”