BY JEM ANSHAW
The Upper Hunter Community Services team marked a significant milestone last week when they broke ground at the site of the new Muswellbrook Neighbourhood Centre.
Located on Jersey Place, adjoining the Hunter Park Family Centre, the new build will be about the size of a four-bedroom house but it will fit many important community assets inside.
“There will be three offices that services will utilise, we’ll also have an open kitchen so we can conduct cooking classes, laundry facilities, bathroom and shower facilities, and there will be a small conference room for training,” Louise Clay, Upper Hunter Community Services manager said, adding it will be more than just a building.
“It will be a place of welcome, where people can walk through the doors and feel, maybe for the first time in a long time, that they are not alone.
“It will be a hub for services, offering vital programs like emergency relief for families in crisis, no interest loans for people struggling to get ahead, education, training and self-help programs that will empower people to grow and connect.”
Last week’s formalities were the realising of a dream that started back in 2017 when Rex Littlewood donated the land to UHCS and they had an idea of what they could do to further support the Muswellbrook community.
Funding such a large project was the next issue but BHP have come on board and committed to $1.25 million for construction.
“We’re very grateful to be able to support this kind of initiative in the community and really love to see the great work that Louise and team have been doing here in the community,” Darryl Messenger, BHP general manager, said at the sod turning.
The current UHCS offices at the QEII Building at Simpson Park will remain operational, this new location will simply expand the capabilities of the team.
Fences for the construction site will go up in the coming weeks, and all going to plan construction should take around 12 months.
