A mix of community facilities and housing are among suggestions for developing the former Kurim shops site.
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As trucks took away the rubble from the Glenroi site this week the focus turned to what should replace it.
Site owner Eddie Eid has told the Central Western Daily he would consider selling the property.
Glenroi Community Group member Neil Jones said the group would look to the local community for ideas about what should go there.
“It would be good to have a mix of community services facilities and maybe some housing,” he said.
“It is a big block of land.”
Mr Jones said neighborhood shopping centres had seemingly had their day and it should not remain empty space.
“There is a lot of council-owned open space in the immediate vicinity,” he said.
“That area doesn’t need more public open space.
“I know the kids would say ‘let’s have a really good skate park’.”
Mr Jones said Orange City Council might be asked to buy the land for community facilities or housing but there had to be a good reason and strong community support before council would commit public funds to such a project.
“Here’s an opportunity, put it to the community, should council buy this and spend it on community housing?” he said.
“My view is we go and ask the community.
“There is no good putting something there the community doesn’t want, or won’t respect.”
Orange mayor Reg Kidd said community input was important when deciding the future of the site.
“When the dust has settled, so to speak, and the site has been cleared it would be a good time for council to sit down with the owners of the place and the community and have a discussion about it,” he said.
Cr Kidd said there were several commercial and community possibilities but they would need community backing and good business cases.
“Could it be an outpost medical centre for the Aboriginal medical services, I don’t know,” he said.
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