PORTLAND’S newest supported disability accommodation seems to have been a fair while coming, but it was officially opened in style on Thursday.
MyPlace was the name of the $1.6 million project by Kyeema Support Services for two houses on Palmer St.
Announced in 2020, the project hasn’t been immune to the issues facing just about anyone building any sort of building in recent years, but it is now ready to fulfil its purpose.
About 60 people gathered at the homes for the official opening, with Kyeema chairwoman Cathi Bawden officiating.
The community played a major part in raising funds for the project – about $107,000 towards the building and $18,000 for the furnishings – and that wasn’t unnoticed by Kyeema chief executive Julie Amor.
“We never had to hold a lamington stall, but we made it,” she said.
“The community support’s been so wonderful and that has made me really happy.
“The Portland community is such a good community.
“It was great to acknowledge the community members who had donated and in addition to their financial donations all along there has been such a wonderful sense of community support.”
Ms Amor also thanked the Kyeema board for backing the project.
“They were brave enough to jump in when we didn’t attract any government funding,” she said.
“I think the board’s pretty happy that it’s a good use of Kyeema’s money.”
There was also lots of positive feedback from those there at the opening on the quality of the buildings – one will house two residents and the other three.
The two companies behind that are designer Illowra and Craig Collins Building.
While the latter is based at Hamilton – and built Kyeema’s respite house on Hurd St, directly above the latest houses – the former is a team that specialises in such housing working remotely throughout the state.
Illowra managing director Owen Jourdain said Kyeema approached the company a few years ago to help with the project.
“Their dedication to this project has been amazing,” he said.
“Julie’s amazing, the board supported her and the housing committee worked very closely with our design team.
“For a community this is an incredibly big investment, $1.6 million’s not an insignificant sum for a local not-for-profit, that’s a big commitment.
“This was designed to be fairly flexible to serve a diverse range of needs for the residents with disabilities.
“It was designed to meet supported disability accommodation standards but it’s designed far in excess of what’s required.
“There’s a lot of really clever thinking in the design.
“We made this like a normal home, that’s by design but it’s an incredibly complex design.
“We’re very proud to be part of this project. It’s been hard work but it’s great to see today.”
Builder Craig Collins said weather, and cutting into the hill on the double block the houses are on, was the biggest issue completing the project, which took about 16 months.
“We were working on a clay base and that was really difficult,” he said.
“It was also consistently wet. The ground did dry up with the right conditions but it didn’t take much to mess it up again.”
While a shortage of materials wasn’t as much of an issue as it has been in the construction industry generally, finding contractors was.
“It’s fairly trying times, there’s so much work in the construction industry at the moment,” Mr Collins said.
“While I tried to use as many local contractors as I could, some were from further away.
“To co-ordinate subcontractors in really, really busy times is trying, for want of a better word.
“But like everything, you get there in the end.
“Kyeema was extremely patient which is good, because they’re locals they could see what we’re up against.”
Now that the houses are finished, and will be occupied, Kyeema is on the lookout for more staff.
“We will be employing extra people because some (residents) require 24/7 support,” Ms Amor said.
“We certainly have quite a few existing workers interested but we’re very happy for other applications from anyone interested in disability work.
“It’s definitely worth them dropping in their resumes as well.”
