The 33 Saxon Street Hub- Final Concept report is recommending that Brunswick Neighbourhood House (BNH) services be split across three sites in and around the proposed 33A Saxon Street Precinct to address the House’s aged and unfit-for-purpose venues. 

Brunswick Neighbourhood House is an important community-driven organisation that delivers services to the people of Moreland. It caters to and represents all cultural and social demographics.

The Officer Recommendation has serious implications on the future viability of Brunswick Neighbourhood House. BNH welcomes and supports everyone in its community to participate in social connection and learning opportunities. Splitting the service across three locations, regardless of proximity, will make it harder to maintain its identity.

Equally problematic is the proposed re-location of BNH’s Occasional Childcare to the Brunswick Baths. This location is inappropriate to the organisation’s educational approach to supporting the full development of young children and will impact negatively on current families that use the service. The proposed space does not meet the required outdoor space of the updated Children’s Services regulations of 7m2 per child. Not meeting this regulation, will mean that BNH will have to either reduce the number of places offered to a maximum of 11 children OR to limit the hours of care offered to a maximum of 5 hrs per day per child. Neither option meets the current needs of local parents and makes the service financially unsustainable.   

We are also concerned about the impact of the proposed Hub model. Brunswick Neighbourhood House requires a setting where its distinct identity, uniqueness and autonomy is maintained and where it can exercise full control over its space and operations.

Given the Saxon Street site cannot house the whole of BNH in a distinctive space, we request Council to accommodate BNH, including its childcare, at the heritage house in the 33 Saxon Precinct and retain the use of the current venue in Warr Park.