Planning has begun for the construction of more units (and a new hall) for the Cobar Brennan Centre.
The Brennan Centre is a community-owned and operated accommodation facility, mainly for senior residents.
It was one of four key areas of the central business district (CBD) to be identified as part of Cobar Shire Council’s Grand Precinct project.
Council was earlier this year granted $3.5 million funding from the Australian Government’s regional Precincts and Partnerships Program (rPPP), which provides investment to transform regional, rural and remote places and revitalise existing town precincts.
The funding will enable Council to deliver a design and plan works for the proposed Grand Precinct, to get it up to construction and tender-ready status.
Anna Wyllie, who has previous local government experience along with project management experience in main street rehabilitation and vibrancy programs as well as multipurpose centres, has been contracted to project manage the Grand Precinct Project.
Anna met with Cobar Brennan Centre committee president Barry Knight and vice president Stephen Dutton on Friday to discuss the construction of more self-contained units and a new hall for residents’ use.
The new units are to be built on a Council-owned vacant block of land in the CBD (on the corner of Broomfield and Linsley streets), which Cobar Shire Councillors voted to sell to the Brennan Centre committee for $1 in March this year.
Barry said the aim was to build four (or possibly six new units) and also replace the outdated hall which is used as a meeting place for residents and their families.
Anna was given a tour of the Brennan Centre hall and a couple of the residents’ units, including one that was built in 1993 and another constructed in 2005.
She said an important part of the planning process was having discussions with residents.
“Talking to the residents and making sure we’re designing a product that is suitable for them will be really, really important and getting their feedback on what works well and what doesn’t work well in their current accommodation.
“We’re talking to the people who are going to use them,” she said.
“Mobility will be a big factor,” Anna said
“Sustainability will be part of the design, and all that we can design in cost saving mechanisms.”
Anna said they would also look at the trade-off between the cost and the long-term savings in terms of maintenance.
Having the option to build in stages will be crucial so if the committee is unable to initially raise the full amount to build four or six units, but had enough to build one or two, they could start on those and build the others later.
“We’re grateful to the shire for making the block available to us,” Barry said.
“It’s the right place where we need it to be, close in the town, with easy access for our elderly people to the chemist, supermarket, doctors surgeries, post office and shops.”
Barry said the committee will get started on fundraising and this design and planning will give them an idea of the goal they will need to work towards.
He said the centre does not receive any ongoing government funding and relies on the support of local organisations and donations.
“We’ll get the plans and everything drawn up, so we’re ready to start getting quotes and chasing politicians for money,” Barry said.
“Because at the end of the day, it’s the Federal Government’s responsibility.”
