Trangie’s much anticipated respite centre officially arrived in town last week, with onlookers enthusiastically watching the two oversized vehicles deliver the custom-built facility into town.
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Late last year local Trangie charity Community Connections Incorporated received $176,000 under the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions fund to develop a respite centre for adults and children with disabilities.
The new facility comes after the community raised money to purchase St Mary’s Anglican Church, recently renovated to compliment the new centre.
President of the Trangie Community Connections Andrew Cayzer said the new facility is a long awaited win for the community, which will drive both economic activity and social improvement in the township. “These sort of places in smaller communities are so badly needed … this is an absolute godsend for our community and the shire.”
Mr Cayzer said the project has been in the pipeline for over four years, and its arrival last week was a real plus, not just for Trangie but the entire district.
The new facility will provide a vital service for communities further out who do not have reasonable or reliable access to such a service. The respite centre will compliment an existing day facility for people with disabilities, making accommodation available for those travelling long distances, and prevent the forced relocation of families looking for services for their dependants.
Former Minister for Regional Development Fiona Nash was integral in helping Trangie receive funding to boost regional communities.
“I aim to help build the kinds of regional communities our children and grandchildren either want to stay in or come back to … this includes funding to the very worthy Trangie Community Connection Inc.” Ms Nash said late last year.
Mr Cayzer and the committee gave a bit thank you to community members, businesses and organisations that have sponsored and contributed to the fundraising efforts to get this project off the ground. “Trangie’s certainly not a dying town,” Mr Cayzer said.
The group are anticipating the facility will be ready by October 1, 2018.
For the Community Connections charity the long term plan will be to eventually build assisted living houses.