The City of Armadale celebrated the redevelopment of the Champion Centre and Seville Grove Library at an official ribbon cutting and plaque unveiling on Friday 18 October.
The centres were officially celebrated by Mayor Henry Zelones OAM JP, along with Dr Tony Buti MLA representing the WA Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Aboriginal Affairs and Lands the Hon Ben Wyatt MLA, Senator Patrick Dodson, Member for Burt Matt Keogh and Lotterywest Acting General Manager Grants and Community Development, Lorna Pritchard.
The newly developed Champion Centre and community elements of the Seville Grove Library were funded by a Lotterywest grant of $4,060,000 and form part of a major community hub comprising the award winning Armadale Fitness and Aquatic Centre and the Bob Blackburn Reserve.
Mayor Henry Zelones OAM, JP said the modernised facilities have been designed in response to community needs recognised in a 2017 City of Armadale commissioned feasibility study and there is high anticipation for the opening.
“The City carried out research that identified what the community saw as most valuable and we have incorporated and enhanced these areas, such as the new café/kitchen area, and also increased capacity for greater community access, participation and collaboration.”
“The newly transformed Bob Blackburn area will become a really important community hub that is designed to be widely accessible that will enrich people’s lives and the wider local community”.
With Armadale as the third largest growing local government region in Western Australia, the grant and subsequent redevelopment work aims to address growing community needs, supporting local families and the various organisations working in the community.
Highlights of the 18 month building work include a modernised new café/kitchen area, the inclusion of a new children’s room, the provision of a variety of flexible workspaces designed to facilitate partnerships between local organisations and the development of a range of outdoor spaces. .
The Seville Grove Library has also been updated offering a new training room facility with accessible public computers.
The Champion Centre redevelopment grant was one of 682 grants awarded by Lotterywest in 2018 to 2019 who supported 613 not-for-profit organisations and hundreds of local government authorities with $102 million in funding.
The new facility also features the artwork ‘Ocean Swell’ by local Aboriginal artist Rohin Kickett, as well as a wall mural designed by artists Matt Adnate, Rohin Kickett and Bradley Kickett.
The Champion Centre delivers a variety of programs including the recently award winning ‘Food Security Program’ in partnership with Aldi and Coles, a driver training program and several federally funded ‘Indigenous Advancement Strategy’ programs targeting children and young people.
A public open day will be held as part of NADIOC week celebrations in November.
ENDS
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