Diversity South opened its brand new office in Mandurah after five years of planning.
The renewed office, at 90 Anstruther Road, started operating in January, but was officially opened on Tuesday this week.
During the opening ceremony, the organisation’s chief Jillian Liddelow-Hunt cut the ribbon next to the patron MLA David Templeman and Diversity South member Ronda Fleming.
The office’s building was purchased five years ago by the organisation, but it took almost three years for the works to be completed.
“For us to open this office is amazing,” Ms Liddelow-Hunt said.
“We are not for profits, so it's very difficult to save the money.
“We've been able to actually buy something and renovate it through excellent management of our funds, we haven't had any donations to help us renovate.”
Ms Liddelow-Hunt said the new location in central Mandurah would give further visibility to the charity and allow a better organisation of community activities.
Diversity South has been delivering services for people with disabilities and their families in Mandurah for 21 years, after local families pushed for a local centre to have their relatives closer to home.
Prior to the opening of the organisation in 1994 families who wished to receive assistance for their relatives with disabilities had to register them in institutions in Perth.
Diversity South runs programs ranging from shared housing to community events and offers members the opportunity to pursue personal goals and aspirations.
Currently, they have almost 10 shared houses under 24-hour supervision available to their members and are expecting more families to join the organisation in the near future.
Diversity South’s patron Mandurah MP David Templeman helped cut the ribbon and delivered a speech during the opening ceremony.
Mr Templeman said the house belonged to his year 7 teacher, Olive Binx, who was a pioneer in education during the 60’s.
“Olive was one of the one early believers not only in inclusion and participation but also ensuring that people of whatever ability would participate actively in their community,” he said.
“I'm just so proud that with the long history of Diversity South has landed in here, in Olive's house.”
Mr Templeman also said he was going to push to plant an olive tree in the centre’s verge in her honour.
“What I think this day means by opening it today and by having Diversity South here on Anstruther Road, there is a whole new range of opportunities,” he said.
“You will now become even better.”
