Refurbished emergency accommodation opens in Surry Hills

By DANIEL LO SURDO

The Wesley Edward Eagar Lodge in Surry Hills has reopened following an extensive refurbishment, which included an array of new upgrades to help the crisis accommodation centre “gain a greater understanding of each person’s needs”.

The refurbishments are said to support a new model of care, which will include dignity at its core and provide larger, more secure bedrooms with private bathrooms and wrap-around services, such as a new retail space and café, to offer further training and employment opportunities.

In a statement, Rev Stu Cameron, the CEO and Superintendent of non-profit Wesley Mission which manages the Surry Hills centre, said that the new model of care would “focus on the long-term impact and positive change the lodge can have in people’s lives”.

“By placing the needs of the person first, we strive to serve the whole person, not just their current challenges,” Mr Cameron said.

City of Sydney provided $1 million to Wesley Mission to support Surry Hills refurbishment 

Wesley Mission lodged plans for the alterations in July 2019, as part of an $11.7 million application which was conditionally approved by the City three months later. The City allocated $1 million to the refurbishments under its Affordable and Diverse Housing Fund, with Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore saying that the City was “proud to partner with Wesley Mission” on the project.

“The Centre has been part of the fabric of the inner-city community of Surry Hills since the 1970s, helping some of our most vulnerable with crisis accommodation and support,” Cr Moore said.

While the centre was closed for refurbishment, Wesley Mission used facilities at temporary locations in Ashfield and in the city to provide emergency accommodation.