Glen Park Community Centre, based in Bayswater North, has been operating a volunteer run cafe to encourage community participation and development. The cafe provides a welcoming atmosphere and volunteer opportunities, particularly for people with disabilities or people who are socially isolated or experience mental illnesses.

While community houses receive State Government funding to assist in delivering courses and training, community development work does not receive this assistance. As a result there is a shortfall in funding that is jeopardising the future of the cafe.

The cafe was able to operate until mid October and today Glen Park organised a public meeting so that members of the Glen Park community could speak about their personal experience with the cafe and the benefits that this community meeting place provides.

In true Glen Park spirit today’s meeting was not to commiserate the closure of the cafe but to celebrate the opportunities it has provided.

Glen Park is seeking a combination of Local, State, Federal and community funding to enusre that its vital community development activities can continue. For further information on Glen Park please visit www.glenparkcc.com.au.