Coonamble Aboriginal Health Service CEO Tim Horan with selling agent Fiona Foodey and Funeral Service Manager, Ben Callaghan.
IN A RARE flash of real estate excitement for Coonamble, the former Ambulance Station finally made it to market last week, attracting solid interest and selling almost overnight, according to local real estate agent Fiona Foodey.
The station was decommissioned in June 2008, as it no longer met the stringent standards required by the NSW Ambulance Service. The local crew was ‘temporarily’ relocated to leased premises in Calga Street – a situation that lasted until November 2011 when they moved into a new Ambulance Station constructed adjacent to the Coonamble Multi Purpose Health Centre.
The vacant building opposite the Council Chambers languished for many more years despite frequent inquiries from interested purchasers, including the Coonamble Aboriginal Health Service.
“We’ve been chasing it for years,” said CEO Tim Horan. “The Board always thought it would be ideal for our funeral service. As soon as it came up we went for it.”
Despite only recently opening the Funeral Service in Railway Street, CAHS intend to relocate the Funeral Service to the highway site as per their original plans, and either sell or lease the Railway Street building. They plan to utilise the upstairs residence to house medical or other CAHS staff.
“We’re very happy to secure the site,” said Mr Horan. “There are no structural problems with the building. There’s a little bit of asbestos that was identified early, but this will be either managed or removed,” he said. “We will start construction straight away and hope to move in within five or six weeks.”
Being a high profile highway site, the planned facelift should provide a welcome boost to the town’s image. Mr Horan says he’d also like to reinstate the original clock if possible. The purchase of the Ambulance Station is the latest in a string of property purchases for CAHS. The organisation has previously purchased and refurbished buildings at 17 Tooloon Street, 15-19 Castlereagh Street, 67 Aberford Street and 23 Railway Street.
Work will also commence shortly on premises at the former Senior Citizens Hall at 23 Namoi Street. The speedy sale of the former Ambulance Station is an indication that highway sites are still in some demand. The former Department of Primary Industries buildling beside the Commonwealth Bank is yet to be offered for sale. It is hoped it won’t take nine years to get that property onto the market.