The Orange City Council-funded rest centre, on the ground floor of the Orange City Centre, has had a reprieve from possible closure after councillors overturned a council staff recommendation at Tuesday night’s council meeting to shut the centre down.

Following a review of the facility, which provides public amenities including baby changing facilities and a budget tea and coffee service, council staff recommended its closure, saying the centre was outmoded and needed $40,000 of work to be refurbished.

In the report to council’s finance committee staff also indicated passers-by felt intimidated by people loitering out the front of the centre.

Councillor Reg Kidd was first to his feet after the recommendation to terminate the facility was moved by Cr John Davis and seconded by Cr  Scott Munro.

“Sometimes I wonder what this rest centre is for and I have had it pointed out to me on numerous occasions that young mothers would not be game to go in there,” Cr Kidd said.

“It’s become a hangout place and people have to more or less run the gauntlet of people out the front to get in there.”

Cr Duffy said he went past the centre every day.

“You can’t say undesirable people just hang out there - undesirable people are everywhere,” Cr Duffy said.

“This is an important place for people who catch a bus into Orange and need somewhere to rest,” Cr Duffy said.

Crs Whitton and Gander also addressed council over their concerns to potentially close the centre down.

Cr Neil Jones also supported the centre staying open, saying it was a no-frills facility that fulfilled an important role for people in the community.

“It’s not a fancy place but it does provide a service for certain people,” he said.

Cr Taylor said any closure would be a retrograde step.

“Providing a centre like this is not about a profit and loss sheet, and we should be able to retain the centre even though the economic rationalists wouldn’t say that,” he said.

“To close a place like this means we would lose part of our compassion and our hearts would go a little blacker.”

When the Orange City Centre was built in 1986 council took out a lease to occupy and run the rest centre at a peppercorn rent of $1 per year after it was relocated from the southern end of Post Office Lane.

The refurbishment of the centre will now go to tender.

janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au