Face for youth centre
Long-awaited project is nearer
BORED youths in a neglected Cairns suburb should finally have a reason and a place to stay out of trouble with work slowly progressing on a longawaited project.
A $3 million proposal to build the White Rock Neighbourhood Centre has been on the Cairns Regional Council books since four years of negotiations to secure a long-term lease on State Government land at Tiffany St began in 2013.
The council has now revealed the building design ahead of plans to stage construction over three years.
The facility will include one football field, a tennis court, netball and basketball court and a turfed event zone, as well as a neighbourhood centre with a hall for up to 200 people and a 1500 sqm playground.
Division 3 Cr Cathy Zeiger said White Rock kids were desperate for something to do.
“We’ve got over 5000 people living in White Rock and three-fifths of those are under the age of 25,” she said.
“There is just simply nowhere to play – there’s just a few parks but you’ve got to walk a long way to get to them.
“It’s a terribly-designed area and with an overpopulation of Department of Housing properties. We’ve got quite a bit of a hotspot down there, so I’m looking forward to some improvements and sporting fields coming out of that.”
Division 2 Cr John Schilling said the suburb had a remarkable number of young people.
“I can only think this will make a big difference to some of the things we’re seeing happen around the city at the moment,” he said.