Five years after community representatives and Byron Shire Council put a case to the NSW government to gift them the old Byron Bay Hospital site on the fringe of the CBD, the new Byron CoLab on Arakwal Country was officially opened this morning.
‘When the Byron Central Hospital opened at Ewingsdale the community was insistent that the old hospital site continue to be used for the health and well-being of local people and not be sold for commercial profit,’ said Byron Shire Mayor, Sarah Ndiaye.
‘To be here today with those community representatives and Ben Franklin, President of the NSW Parliament, who successfully took the case to the NSW government, is such an example of what can be achieved with vision and trust and intent,’ she said.
Byron Shire Council bought the hospital for $1 from the NSW government, and gratefully received state and Australian government grants totalling $2.7 million, providing for the redevelopment of the existing buildings.
While Council retains ownership of the site, it is now managed by Social Futures, a not-for-profit community service organisation that has supported the Byron Shire for more than ten years.
Dynamic space
Social Futures CEO, Tony Davies, said the revitalised site is emerging as a dynamic community space in the heart of town.
‘True to the community’s significant contributions and long held vision for this project, Byron CoLab on Arakwal Country is a place of connection and opportunity,’ said Mr Davies.
‘The centre provides much-needed office space and communal areas for community service providers, businesses, educators, health providers and the arts, with profits invested back into local groups and community projects.
‘As custodians of this special place, our partnership with the community advisory group remains essential to its successful management and we are excited to see the space being embraced by the local community,’ said Mr Davies.
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