More aged care beds

l GORDONVALE

| Nick Dalton

WORK is in full swing on a $10 million expansion at the communityowned and run Pyramid Residential Care Centre at Gordonvale to add 24 beds and a new laundry.

The project, designed by Clark and Prince Architects and constructed by Bryant Building Contractors, will increase beds to 76 and involves a new wing and the refurbishment of another.

Centre president Paul Gregory launched the project last Friday with work already underway with dozens of workers on site.

He said the project was being funded by the federal government to the tune of $6.5 million with the balance covered by the centre.

Mr Gregory said there was a waiting list of 40 families and it was expected it would take 12 months for the extra beds to be filled.

He said last Friday was “a very special day” for the centre which was proud to serve its community by providing aged care services for the people of Gordonvale.

Mr Gregory said running a residential care centre was becoming “more and more complex, more demanding” with high levels of governance.

He said the expectations of the fed-

Learn about the Cattana Wetlands at Open Day

Learn about the history, flora and fauna of the Cattana Wetlands at an Open Day on Saturday (5 August).

The Cattana Wetlands Open Day, from 8am to midday, doubles as a celebration of 10 years of the Jabirus volunteer group.

The Open Day will include:

• Botany For Kids: 8.30am to 9.10am

• Boardwalk tours: 9.30am to 10.10am; and 11am to 11.40am

• Birdspotting from the jetty: 8.30am to 9.10am; and 9.30am to 10.10am

• Possum boxes: 8.30am to 9.10am; and 9.30am to 10.10am eral government on such centres were “impossible” to meet, especially the training of staff, but the government had been listening to their concerns.

• Plant Doctor: have all your native plant questions answered, all morning. Dogs, except registered assistance animals, are not permitted.

Cattana Wetlands is on Dunne Rd, Smithfield.

Mr Gregory said the centre had been “blessed’ with all levels of government “bending over backwards” to ensure the facility continued to operate during difficult times.

He said the federal government had helped financially to ensure the centre operated after losing $1 million a year for the last three to four years with a turnaround in the last financial year.

“In the last three years we have worked in partnership with (the federal government) to ensure the financial viability of the facility,” Mr Gregory said.

He said the Cairns Regional Council and the Queensland Government had been extremely helpful as well.

Mr Gregory said the centre was negotiating with the state government to buy the land which was currently leased and was estimated to be worth $1.2 million to $1.6 million.

He said owning the property outright gave the centre the capacity to borrow to expand the facility even further.

Mr Gregory paid tribute to the 80 staff who “go the extra mile”.

He said it was difficult to get staff but the centre had a good reputation as an employer.

Improvement works

McLeod St, Cairns City: Nightworks for water main replacement between Aplin St and Florence St, from 6pm to 6am on Wednesday 9 August and Thursday 10 August. Temporary road closure.