A permanent community centre on Oxford Street is being mooted, in light of the Safe Place closing down.

An external evaluation into ACON’s Safe Place found there were not enough people using it to report violence to make it sustainable in the long term (SX #386). However a permanent space offering a one-stop shop for information about GLBT groups and events could be on the cards.

“The evaluation found we need a community space on Oxford Street to help create a sense of it being a gay and lesbian area and to provide a space where our community organisations could be handing out information,” ACON CEO Stevie Clayton told SX.

“That was the idea when we first set up the space – that community groups would be there during the day and the Anti-Violence Project (AVP) at night, but those are mostly run by volunteers and it’s hard for them to come together. In the feedback given to council we’ve said people still think there’s a need for that sort of space but it needs to be nearer Taylor Square, and if council can find that and other groups are interested, ACON would be in there with them, but we don’t want to stay where [Safe Place] is now and be the only ones doing it.”

A spokesperson for City of Sydney Council told SX: “The City is yet to receive an application from ACON and will consider the proposal. The City is committed to working with the GLBT community on appropriate facilities and services.”

Community groups wanting to be part of setting up a permanent space are invited to contact the AVP on (02) 9206 2116 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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