Gerald Lynch
This story was originally published in March 2024 and Star Weekly has chosen to share it again for readers to enjoy.
Neighbouring residents of the Sydenham Grace residential service site fear there’s plans for the the site to be reopened after it was forced to shut its doors 18 months ago.
The service had its registration revoked in July 2022 by the Human Services Regulator after a state government investigation found that Grace Disability Services (GDS) were not meeting regulations in place to protect the health and wellbeing of 34 residents in the facility.
The closure was welcomed by local residents after alleged incidents involving residents of the service roaming the streets and committing unsociable acts, all within close proximity to a kindergarten.
Many residents expressed concerns at the time of the closure that the space would re-open under a different entity or for a different purpose.
There concerns have increased with residents spotting workers coming in and out of the site, bringing in bedding material and other equipment.
This caused confusion and anger among residents, after an email from Wintringham Community Housing in 2022 said a re-opening would be discussed with the community.
“Hypothetically, for the site to open as a SRS in the future, an interested party would need to apply for the site to be re-registered as an SRS,” the email said.
“This would almost certainly involve community consultation.”
A Director of Families, Fairness, and Housing spokesperson said no there a formal application to operate at the location has not been lodged.
“Since the closure of the former Supported Residential Service, the director of it was banned from operating an NDIS service by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission,” they said.
Brimbank city futures director Kelvin Walsh said the council understands owners of property are looking to open it up. An earlier email from council to a resident said that the site had been sold and that the new owners assured the council there wouldn’t be the same issues as previously.
“Council is aware that the owners of the site at 1-5 Profita Avenue, Sydenham, are preparing to open it for a Supported Residential Service (SRS),” he said. “The current planning permit for the site that was issued in 1992 allows this use to occur,” he said.
“In order for the site to re-open as an SRS, the owner or operator must obtain registration from the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) who are the authority responsible for overseeing these facilities. Council understands that this site has not yet been registered for this purpose so will be keeping a watchful eye on it to ensure that the use does not commence until the required approvals are in place.
“Given the issues that were experienced by the surrounding residents when the site was previously operated as an SRS, council understands why they are very concerned about this proposal.”
Dujon Jovan is one resident who believes his fear is coming true.
“We fought a battle to get it shut down for over five years,” he said. “We had ladies who were residents at the centre knocking on our door at midnight, asking for cigarettes and money.
“So, we tried to ring the place and report it and there’d be no one working there. These people were just left free to roam around.
“If it’s going to open up again, we’ve already spoken about, we’ll be shifting houses.
“I can’t go through it again, every second day something would happen, police, fire brigades, ambulances, people on the street fighting, it turned our street into a madhouse.”
Another resident Annie Blight said that after all the complications that arose last time the centre was open, she would much prefer to see the doors stay shut.
“It doesn’t give me much hope hearing that it is going to open again, after witnessing the history of it opening and closing multiple times and seeing residents not being properly taken care of,” she said.
“Our neighbourhood has finally known peace without any disturbances, and I think I speak with everyone that we’d much prefer it shut.”
