Home has no barriers
Disabled can live a full life
A NEW home under construction in Cairns’ western suburbs is designed to help people with a disability live independently.
The Endeavour Foundation turned the sod yesterday on its sixth home in the region, which will be full of state-ofthe-art technology to assist locals living with disabilities.
The $800,000 home, which has yet to receive approval from Cairns Regional Council, has been designed to support four people. It includes a selfcontained unit and an extra bedroom for support staff.
It is on Hayward St, Mooroobool, which the foundation’s chief operating officer Paula Mayson said would provide easy access to local facilities.
“It’s close to transport, shopping, all the facilities that anyone else in the community needs access to, so they can live independently and live their lives, just as anyone else does,” she said.
It is hoped construction on the home, which will also feature “platinum” standard environmentally sustainable systems such as solar hot water and skylights, will be completed within the next 18 months.
Russell Boll, who will be living in the new home, said he was looking forward to moving in. “I’m happy and excited,” he said.
“It’s very close to a bus stop, with a beautiful garden, and no steps.
“I can’t wait to look in the rooms and see the new kitchen – new everything.”
Disability Services Minister Coralee O’Rourke, who was present for the sod-turning ceremony yesterday, said the new home would help the Far North with the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which began rolling out across the region on July 1.
“Once the rollout is complete in this area, participants in the (NDIS) program will be in excess of 4500,” she said.
“That’s going to be servicing a lot of people with disabilities, and these will be people who have never accessed support before.”