Aged Care Centre to grow from start of dry season
MOSSMAN
It’s been nearly three years in the making, but it now appears construction is about to begin on the much-anticipated Mossman Aged Care Centre, which could occur once the wet season is finished.
A development lease between Council and The Salvation Army was entered into in August 2016 for the Aged Care Facility on Council land located at Johnston Road, Mossman.
Council has invested significantly in the project including funding a business case, securing more than $500,000 funding for enabling infrastructure and waiving about $250,000 worth of infrastructure fees.
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The Salvation Army Aged Care Plus Centre will be a 42-bed residential complex and will provide all aged care services and include dedicated indigenous services.
The new centre is expected to create more than 40 local jobs during construction and more than 40 jobs once complete.
Mossman District Nursing Home President Marjorie Norris has fought for the development for the past 22 years. She said the next couple of months will be an exciting period for the committee.
“This project has been such a huge part of my life so to see this development hit the ground will be a special day.
“It is refreshing to have the Douglas Shire Council, Salvation Army and our committee working closely together with a clear way forward,” she said.
The company’s Aged Care National Director, Richard De Haast, said after a meeting last week with Douglas Shire Council and the Mossman District Nursing Home committee that the company was looking forward to starting construction.
“We are 100% committed to the current plans and looking forward to starting this important project,” he said.
“We are mindful that the community has been waiting a long time for the Centre to open, and we are focused on that as a priority.
“We are currently tendering out the project to a range of parties. We’re expecting responses by early April, to be finalised by the end of the month, or at the latest, in May.
“We’ve made it clear to those parties that our expectation is that they will commence as soon as they have mobilised their workforce,” said De Haast.
Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu said she was thrilled with the enthusiasm the Salvation Army had shown for the project.
“It will be a big moment for Mossman when tradies start moving onto that vacant lot and spending money at our small businesses.
“Council will continue working with the Salvation Army throughout this process,” she said.
Council will transfer ownership of the land to the Salvation Army when construction is finished.
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