Page 1355 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 13 May 2014
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Part of the process in finding suitable accommodation was determining their specific requirements, in consultation with Gugan Gulwan. Gugan Gulwan has advised: (1) a location is required near transport links and in reasonable proximity to the current facility in the Tuggeranong region; (2) outdoor space is needed as young children and babies participate in the programs; and (3) Gugan Gulwan must be the sole tenant.
Within the context of these requirements, the Community Services Directorate has been trying to find suitable additional space in Tuggeranong and in nearby areas and has continued to work with ACT Property Group in the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate and with the Education and Training Directorate.
Since 2011 the accommodation offers to Gugan Gulwan have included a former primary school, Urambi, a former childcare centre in Kambah, spaces in community centres in Pearce and Weston and ACT Property Group’s Erindale business park—both multi-tenanted facilities—a neighbourhood hall in Tharwa, and spaces in primary schools in the region, in Calwell.
Of these offers, Urambi and Kambah were deemed suitable for the planned delivery of their new programs. However, these properties were withdrawn from the surplus list and are therefore no longer available. The community centres and the Erindale business park are multi-tenanted facilities and also did not meet Gugan Gulwan’s need for outdoor space or provide the privacy needed by youth accessing support programs. In the case of Pearce, the facility was outside the Tuggeranong region and Gugan Gulwan considered it too far away from their main operational premises.
The most recent accommodation offer was space in the Calwell Primary School/health centre, which was viewed by Gugan Gulwan on Wednesday, 30 April. This offer was deemed unsuitable by Gugan Gulwan as it was only available as a shared space.
The time taken so far to find suitable space for Gugan Gulwan highlights the challenges of meeting their specific requirements in the context of high utilisation levels for community facilities in the Tuggeranong area. The Community Services Directorate will continue to work with the Education and Training Directorate and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate to identify other options.
Given the constraints on suitable accommodation arising from Gugan Gulwan’s mode of operation and the pressure on community accommodation in the Tuggeranong area, it is possible that it might be some time before suitable accommodation is identified. In light of this I have asked the Community Services Directorate to meet with Gugan Gulwan again and explore what can be done to alleviate some of the pressure on their current accommodation and what potential there is for a staged approach to additional or replacement property.
The directorate will be meeting with Gugan Gulwan again in the coming weeks to explore these possibilities. The matter remains as a standing item for directorate briefings to me, as it has since before the Assembly motion.
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