Salvos’ bid to house needy
THE Salvation Army’s worn out Centennial Lodge homeless accommodation will be demolished and replaced with stylish new units under a proposal newly-lodged with Cairns Regional Council.
The existing accommodation at 281-289 Sheridan St, Cairns North, was built in 2006 and the Salvation Army is proposing 40 modern social housing units for single people aged over 25, providing permanent accommodation to those who have a high risk of homelessness.
Centre manager Major Emma Johnson said the development application was the culmination of five years’ work.
“The units are literally falling down around people’s ears, there’s no laundry or proper cooking facilities in them, we have five families in small studio units, and they will be offered accommodation offsite,” she said.
“We are increasing capacity and the units are designed to be flexible, people are in motel-style rooms at the moment with no oven or hotplates. I would be happy to live in one of them,” she said.
“At the centre of the site is a large landscaped open space, between the two-storey and three storey residential buildings,” the document states.
“This space provides amenity and outlook for the residences in the middle building, as well as providing light and air deep into the block.”
It will be known as the Salvo’s Housing and Homelessness Service and two buildings will be units while the third will be for the support services hub.
“The proposed development presents as an urban renewal and modernisation of the existing activities undertaken on the subject site since 2006,” it says.
There would be 38 onebedroom units and two-bedroom units connected by covered walkways.
Units will have a kitchen, study desk, bathroom, bedroom, internal living and dining area and a private external balcony or courtyard.
The support hub would be used by the Salvation Army as well as other service providers comprising mental and physical support services, skill development and rehabilitation support.
“Additional services include tenancy, case management support, education and employment, engagement with family and cross-service support such as NDIS,” it states.
“The ground floor of the hub is an open communal area where residents can gather and welcome each other to Country.”
The project team met with Gimuy Walubara Yidinji elder Uncle Peter Hyde, who provided information that informed the colour scheme of white, yellow, and red ochre colour, mixed with a deep teal that is a reference to Torres Strait peoples.
“We’ve had a beautiful consultation process with Uncle Peter and we’ve worked to make it a traumainformed space with free flowing areas, flow in the plans,” Major Johnson said.
“I think it will be life changing for people experiencing, and at risk of, homelessness.”