Construction of a new Cairns Community and Multicultural Centre in White Rock will be fast tracked following Council securing vital funding for the facility.
Detailed designs for the centre are now being developed after Council successfully securing $4 million in funding from the Federal Government's Growing Regions Program.
White Rock State School, located adjacent to the centre, recently received $4.7 million under the Queensland Government's Go for Gold Fund to deliver sports fields and amenities, which will complement the multicultural facility.
The Cairns Community and Multicultural Centre will deliver social facilities and key support and outreach services for residents of the White Rock and surrounding areas, as well as Cairns' diverse multicultural community.
The centre's design will be guided by the findings of extensive community and stakeholder engagement, which identified the need for flexible and multipurpose spaces, as well as integrating indoor and outdoor spaces.
Specifically, it will include a fully equipped commercial kitchen, multipurpose spaces to accommodate groups of up to 200 people, small meeting rooms, dedicated space for service providers to run programs, foyer and reception area, and covered areas for play groups and cultural practices.
To determine how best to manage the Centre, Council is also inviting tenders for its lease and operation. If no suitable tenders are received, Council will assume management of the centre.
