The campaign to retain Byron Bay’s old hospital for community use will have until the end of April to come up with a financially sound management plan.
A working group headed by Chris Hanley is keen to hear your ideas for the future use for the site and what skills people may be able to contribute to the submission ahead of a further meeting of the group.
It follows a recent visit by NSW Liberal health minister Brad Hazzard, where Mr Hanley told the minister that previous meetings have indicated the need for ‘crisis accommodation, affordable accommodation on limited tenure and a facility that could deliver services similar to the now defunct Fletcher Street Cottage.’
Mr Hanley told The Echo the building was still in good shape, despite being left vacant since the new hospital opened.
Options so far include finding a philanthropist to buy the site from the government, or explore a joint venture with Council where some some of the rental income offests services within the building.
‘Other serious options are to find organisations that want to provide important social and community services to the Shire, but cannot afford commercial rents. We are open to new ideas and proposals.
‘It’s quite a large area,’ Mr Hanley said, at around 2,000sqm, which means various outreach services or health businesses could operate.
Ideas can be emailed to [email protected].
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