A key homelessness service in Byron Bay is undergoing significant repairs after a car drove into part of the facility last week.
The car mysteriously slammed into the gates and wall on the Eastern side of Fletcher Street cottage at around 8pm on November 22.
A damaged section of the wall and gates at Byron Bay’s Fletcher Street Cottage homelessness service. Image supplied
The lateness of the hour meant that the normally busy support service was empty and so none of the staff or clients were hurt.
However, the driver of the car was injured and had to go to hospital.
Staff and volunteers were forced to adapt quickly to ensure that the next day’s community breakfast went ahead.
‘We had to pivot really fast but the team managed to pull together the regular brekkie and do it out the front,’ said the Communications Manager of the Byron Community Centre, Katie Love.
‘The breakfast team coordinator managed to get it all together really quickly, and the breakfast itself was provided by Liberation Larder, along with the usual lunch and food boxes we provide.’
‘We didn’t want there to be a break in that service because it’s very popular.’
The damaged gates and wall serve an important function at the service, providing protection and privacy for clients and staff using the deck next to the cottage.
The Echo understands that, with the help of Byron Council, the Cottage was able to bring in tradespeople quickly to undertake the necessary repairs, and was only forced to close for one day.
