TWO charities in the heart of Frankston have made a shock decision to close their doors to disadvantaged people who rely on meals dished up in times of need.
City Life and the Frankston Churches Breakfast Club told stunned clients on Friday (3 June) that failed negotiations with the state government over a relocation of premises in Clyde St Mall means the charities will shut the cafe and restaurant that feeds the disadvantaged and the homeless.
Volunteers hand out more than 16,000 nutritious breakfasts, lunches and dinners annually and about 4000 food parcels to the needy.
Pastor Mark Whitby, who manages City Life’s resources, told a crowd at the group’s cafe on Friday he had trusted government bureaucrats to find suitable new digs for the charity before an enforced eviction next month so a $16 million five-storey apartment complex can be built at the Clyde St Mall site.
“We will cease to function,” he told the crowd.
Mr Whitby told The Times he felt “the government has let us down in a really bad way”.
Frankston Labor MP Paul Edbrooke said the state government had tried to help the church group relocate but an offer of about $400,000 in funding and the possibility of moving to new premises in Beach St had been rejected by City Life’s board.
“We wanted to stabilise City Life in the short term before looking at longer-term options,” Mr Edbrooke said.
“People will be fed. The service won’t be lost on our watch. We will quickly need to provide alternative ways in which support services can be provided.”
He said he had been working hard to find an alternative venue for City Life since being elected in late 2014 and praised Mr Whitby as “Frankston’s Bob Maguire” for his selfless dedication in helping those less fortunate in the community for more than two decades at City Life.
A letter sent last week from Mr Whitby to the state government, seen by The Times, thanked the government for its offer of funding after 14 months of negotiations but rejected a move to council-leased premises at 31 Beach St – home to the Frankston Regional Artisans Network (FRANK) – because City Life does not want to “force another community group out of their home so that we have a partial fix for our need for relocation”.
The partial use of the neighbouring 33 Beach St building – owned by the Country Women’s Association – if the 31 Beach St offer was accepted was also deemed a non-starter by City Life for the same reason.
Rescom Builders will build 60 apartments at 4 and 6 Clyde St Mall and 36R Ross Smith Ave East and seven shops at street level after City Life vacates Clyde St Mall next month.
All nine councillors at Frankston Council voted to approve the development at a council meeting in December 2014.
At the time council said council officers would work with City Life to help the charity find a new home.
