Orwil St Community House upgrade thanks to Council
Published on 30 March 2021
A major redevelopment of Orwil Street Community House has been officially unveiled by Frankston City Council Mayor Kris Bolam.
Mayor Bolam cut the ribbon on Sunday (28 March) to formally open the doors at the much loved community house, which has a new multipurpose room, counselling spaces and a dedicated computer room – designed and delivered thanks to a $715,000 investment by Council.
The ceremony coincided with both Orwil Street Community House’s Open Day and Neighbour Day.
Mayor Bolam said: “It’s fantastic to welcome people back to the Orwil Street Community House with new spaces designed specifically to encourage social, recreational, educational and personal growth activities.
“The redevelopment of this building, which has been servicing this neighbourhood for more than 40 years, shows what great results can be achieved when good design and planning is informed by the experiences of those delivering the services,” the Mayor said.
North West Ward Cr Sue Baker added that the community house plays a vital role building connections, strengthening community and providing programs, activities and counselling services.
“Last year’s lockdowns highlighted the importance of neighbourhood connections and Council is proud to invest in this vital area,” Cr Baker said.
The ribbon cutting ceremony marks the formal opening of the doors at Orwil Street Community House as classes resume and residents return following completion of the redevelopment and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Orwil Street Community House Manager, Karen Vanderkaay, said the House plays a critical role in keeping people connected and supporting the community.
Ms Vanderkaay said three counsellors will now offer more individual appointments and group sessions including anxiety, depression and grief, while also offering therapy involving art, mindfulness and self-care.
She said an AA group is also resuming, yoga classes will start soon and the first computer class of 2021 was well attended recently.
Ms Vanderkaay added that the upgrade means the House Committee can also plan to meet other community needs, such as offering relaxation and exercise sessions, which arose during the lockdowns.
“We’re looking forward to working with Council on ways to keep improving, and to COVID-proof our activities – like a walking program with both indoor and outdoor exercise, and, because people expressed a desire to use the outdoor space more, raised garden beds around the new deck to grow veggies and let the children plant things,” Ms Vanderkaay said.
Orwil Street Community House is one of five independently-run community houses which Frankston City Council supports and maintains to help build and strengthen communities. Council directly manages another four Community Houses.
For more information about Orwil Street Community House, please visit https://www.orwilst.org.au/ or phone 9783 5073.