February News
2023
The new year has started with a bang with lots of plans and changes at the Nimbin Community Centre.
Grants: As the Community Centre is an unfunded organisation dependent on tenant rents for its operating income, grants are an important part of our capital works and improvement plans. We have a number of exciting projects planned for 2023.
Our Walkways Project is underway and Sam our Maintenance Coordinator is busy replacing the old timbers and building back a more functional walkway. This is the last section in a 15-year project that has seen all the covered walkways replaced. Many thanks to Council for providing funding for $29519 from its section 94 funds, collected through contributions from new development for community infrastructure in Nimbin prior to 2014.
We applied last year for a grant via the Community Building Partnerships Program to do essential repairs to one of the outer walls of the Birth and Beyond building (54 Cullen St), which had been heavily damaged by water. Our application was successful and this will be a major renovation project undertaken by the Centre to preserve this historic building. Thanks to the NSW Department of Communities & Justice who provided $21,000.00 of the $36,910.00 required to complete this project. NCCI has pledged $15,910.00 from its capital improvements reserve.
The Community Centre has had a long-held ambition to develop the Centre grounds into a cohesive, welcoming and attractive space. The committee decided last year that we needed to get in a professional to assist with the process. We received great news from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal, Strengthening Rural Communities Program, that our application for $2800 of funds to hire a landscape architect to develop a comprehensive and costed grounds plan had been approved. This plan will enable the Centre to apply for further funding to develop our grounds over time and in line with our vision.
The Nimbin Aboriginal Cultural Centre is also completing a grant project this year. They are working on a major landscaping project to improve disability access and the visual amenity at the front, as well as improving the art gallery space inside. Mahlie Bayles, the Cultural Centre Coordinator, is keen to have all the work completed for a grand re-opening of the space in late April.
Many thanks to Kitty Van Vuuren and Diana Roberts for their great work in preparing grant applications for the centre.
Tenants: As we welcome new tenants to our centre we farewell others.
G2 Bark Hut Garage - Unfortunately we will have to say goodbye to our recent tenant Sally Flannery with her “Worn Better” slow fashion enterprise. She has had a family matter come up and will need to leave the area to deal with it. This means that the space will become vacant and we will be looking for a new tenant for this great little space with heaps of potential for a small business activity. Please contact the Community Centre if you are interested.
A4 Acacia - The Centre welcomes Miki Kobayashi-Hill who is offering Traditional Japanese Massage in the space. Miki, who lives locally with her family is excited to relocate her business here. She operates Monday to Friday and can be contacted on 0473 548 426 to book an appointment. It’s great to see the return of massage therapy to the centre.
A2 Acacia - Ionell Jones, owner of Nimbin Herbs, has sold her business. She has been an excellent tenant and we wish her well in her new adventures. We welcome the new Nimbin Herbs business owner Claudia Grati to the centre and wish her every success with her new business.
Volunteers: Our Volunteers are an important support for the Centre particularly in our gardens and grounds, working under the supervision of our gardener Robyn. We would not be able to develop and maintain our gardens to current levels without these volunteers.
Last year we farewelled Glen Sparks, James Gardner and Paxie Wright and welcomed Chris Duffy, Monie Moore and Jane Treasure. This year we welcome new volunteer, Kerry Chapman, and welcome back Paul Sims, who has returned from his adventures in the west. Thank you to all our volunteers for their wonderful support of our Centre. Our gardens and grounds look lovely and cared for as a direct result of all their good work.
We welcome volunteers and are registered with Centrelink for those who have workplace obligations.
The Centre looks forward to a busy and productive year working with the community for the benefit of all.