THE former Gill Waminda Aged Care Facility in south Goulburn is still vacant, five years after residents moved into a new complex.
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Despite some discussions, owners the Salvation Army appear no closer to securing a tenant.
The Army’s Major Peter Townsend said there had been no offers due to ‘high running costs and maintaining the site to an acceptable safety standard.’
“We have had several discussions in recent years with community members and people such as our local member, Pru Goward and former mayor, Cr Carol James as to what we could do with the site,” he said.
“But we haven’t been able to come to a decision that is ‘workable’. Maintaining the site has also been difficult in terms of its financial costs and also taking into account the safety point of view.”
Meantime, the building on the corner of Eldon and Auburn Streets has been the target of graffiti.
Paint has been sprayed on a brick wall near the corner of Eldon and Ottiwell Sts, and on the side of an outbuilding located on Hovell St. Major Townsend said he was upset about the style and nature of the graffiti.
“I’m very aware of the graffiti on the old Gill Boys’ Home site, and I would rather it be eradicated as soon as possible,” he said.
“But trying to find people who are willing to help us clean it up has been the hard part.”
The home first commenced operations as the Gill Memorial Boys’ Home in September, 1936, following the closure of the Dee Why Boys’ Home. It was restructured as the Gill Memorial Family Group Home in 1980, and closed on December 29, 1995. The old building was then used as the Gill Waminda Aged Care facility until the newer premises opened on Mary St in May, 2007.
