Last hope for Cyrene Centre

By Shaun Inguanzo
A NOBLE Park-based support centre for drug addicts and their families will receive one last breath of support before it faces the possibility of closing down.
The Cyrene Centre was denied $75,000 of funding for a drug support program in the 2007-08 General Support Program early this month, but Keysborough Ward councillor Roz Blades said she would put forward a notice of motion at this Monday’s council meeting for $40,000 to go to the centre.
The funding drama occurred after City of Greater Dandenong rejected a deferral of voting on the Cyrene Centre’s General Support Program funding at the 12 June meeting.
A deferral would have allowed Cyrene Centre supporters Cr Blades and mayor Youhorn Chea to vote on the funding, along with the other councillors.
With the deferral motion defeated, the pair had to leave the chamber for the General Support Program vote because of conflicts of interest.
This week Cr Blades said she would put forward the notice of motion at Monday’s meeting, suggesting the centre be funded $40,000 – the equivalent of last year’s figure.
Cr Blades said the City of Greater Dandenong had invited the services of the Cyrene Centre into the community about five years ago to help provide support programs for drug addicts and their families.
She said the “funding goalposts” had been moved since that time and the council’s decision to reject funding based on the new criteria was a shallow move that did not look at the true value of the Cyrene Centre’s work.
The Cyrene Centre operates with a paid worker, and up to 40 volunteers.
Cr Blades said the council should support the centre because it was a small price to pay for a crucial service.