A community centre at Rochedale South is set to be demolished after three years sitting vacant and unused, despite many calls from the community to use it for emergency accommodation.
A spokesperson for Logan City Council said it resolved to demolish the Nerida Street Community Centre “subject to the outcome of the proposed sale of part of the property to the Queensland Government”.
President of the Logan Ratepayers Association, Rod Shaw, said the centre had been “wasted” the past three years and could have been used as a domestic violence or homeless shelter.
“It’s a two storey, solid brick building – it’s in really good condition,” Mr Shaw said.
He said the building has three kitchens, two toilet blocks and showers.
The centre was previously the base for Blue Care and the Rochedale Springwood Meals on Wheels kitchen – the latter of which Mr Shaw was president.
“The top floor was a very large area with a stage, a kitchen, an administration office and toilets, and on the ground floor were Meals on Wheels and Blue Care,” he said.
“They had a shower block and their patients used to sleep down there.
“So there’s no reason why they couldn’t make that a place for people who are victims of domestic violence to sleep safely at night.”
Logan’s mayor Darren Power told Mr Shaw via email “the community centre cannot be used for habitable purposes without modifications being made to the building and also a change in classification”.
In the same email, Cr Power said the centre’s adjoining carpark had been closed to the public to “prevent antisocial behaviour”.
Previously, it had been used by neighbouring residents of the pensioner units, who are now parking on the street.
Cr Power said the carpark has no lighting, which could “present a safety risk to the residents”.
“There was no antisocial behavior when I was working there for 12 years, and it was unlit then,” Mr Shaw said.
