Frontier Services officially opened the new Kununurra Community Care building today with a special celebration for the community.

The new building, which cost more than $1.7million, is used to provide a range of community care and respite programs for people living in and around Kununurra.

“We are delighted to be celebrating the opening of the facility which represents a long-standing investment in the Kununurra community,” said Frontier Services Regional Manager WA TrishThomson-Harry.

The Moderator of the Northern Synod of the Uniting Church, Stuart McMillan, officially opened the building.

Frontier Services staff joined with clients, their families and members of the wider community at the celebration which included lunch and entertainment by Aboriginal singer Peter Brandy.

“This is a celebration for the people who use Kununurra Community Care and their families – it is their centre, it is on their land, and we are celebrating the fact that we are here and we are able to provide services to them,” Ms Thomson-Harry said.

The number of clients who use Kununurra Community Care has climbed more than 10%since the move to the new building in June last year.

Up to 27 clients visit the centre three mornings a week for centre-based respite. This is an opportunity for clients to have a meal, take a shower and socialise with each other.

The new building was made possible with funding from Home and Community Care (HACC) Western Australia and also Lotterywest which provided more than $200,000 to fit out the building and landscape the site. The WA Country Health Service provided the land for the building.

“It is a purpose-built modern building, much larger than previous premises,” said Ms Thomson-Harry.

Services for clients include advocacy, cultural and social activities, transport to and from appointments, personal care and domestic assistance. More than 30 lunch time Meals on Wheels are delivered Monday to Friday and four beds are available for overnight respite.

Programs provided from the centre include Home and Community Care (HACC), Community Aged Care Packages (CACP), National Respite for Carers Program (NRCP) and the Mental Health Respite Program (MHRP).