The fully upgraded Ocean Shores Community Centre was officially opened and celebrated over the weekend (Sat 20 March) by the Hon. Ben Franklin MLC and Byron Shire Deputy Mayor Michael Lyon.
The Community Centre's impressive transformation from a tired and underutilised facility into a vibrant and inclusive hub for youth and community services was funded by a $300,000 investment from Byron Shire Council, $141,300 from the NSW Government's Stronger Country Communities Fund (Round 3), and a further $100,000 for replacement of the Centre's roof from the NSW Government's Bushfire Community Resilience and Economic Recovery Fund.
Improvements to the Centre include significant upgrades and redesign of hire spaces, meeting and office rooms, a brand new entrance facing onto Rajah Road, more storage, a new cover of the existing deck, a new roof and painting of the exterior of the building.
The facility now also includes improved disability access and designated parking.
"Council is pleased with what has been achieved through this $540,000 upgrade which will provide greater operational capacity and increase the community's long-term use and enjoyment of the centre," Council's Director Corporate and Community Development, Vanessa Adams said.
"We hear from the committee that there is already uptake of the new centre rooms and spaces with people of all ages enjoying a range of activities, from yoga to training courses, and we thank the committee for all their hard work and vision for this excellent new centre.
Local Nationals Member of the Legislative Council, Ben Franklin, said the investment in the community centre would bring enjoyment to the whole community.
"The centre has been renovated to suit the needs of the community and make it modern, flexible and more practical to ensure the spaces can be used for many local events and activities," Mr Franklin said.
"The Stronger Country Communities Fund has provided support for grassroots projects that allow the community to re-engage with their local spaces and make sure that our towns continue to be vibrant places to live," he said.
"This is exactly the kind of project that the Stronger Country Communities Fund is designed to deliver and I am looking forward to seeing how it will bring together and create more opportunities for the area's young people over coming years."
