It’s been four and a half years in the making but the official opening of the Hope Centre is only about a month away.

Hope Centre board members are excited to host a ‘walk-around’ the premises on Sunday, March 22, to view the outside and the infrastructure.

Hope Centre board chair, Peter Down, said as far as he was aware, it’s the only purpose-built rehabilitation centre in Australia, with others encompassing other health-related facilities.

“It was built because there is an obvious lack of residential services,” Mr Down said.

He said the dedicated group of board members, including patron Richard Rijs, was excited to have the project near completion to benefit Gippslanders.

Built by the community, the drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre will be run by Odyssey House Victoria (OHV), which Mr Down said had a world-class reputation in delivering services.

OHV Hope Centre manager, Andrew Adam, said the facility would start to accept residents at the end of this month from the Lower Plenty therapeutic community who would support new residents.

“We will have a small group of residents who set the culture of the therapeutic community at the Hope Centre,” Mr Adam said.

“We would like visitors at the walk-around to get a sense of what we hope to do over the coming months and years.”

He said training of the first staff members started mid-last week.

The construction of the Hope Centre has cost nearly $8 million and will offer 60 beds in stage one.

The vision is to increase to a 120-bed facility.

The Hope Centre sits on 15 acres and incorporates an outdoor multicourt as well as a large shed that houses an art therapy room.

Mr Down said the site began as a paddock with no town water or septic so they had built storm water retention dams and a horticulture and habitat program is being developed.

Board member, John Glynn, said the community had shown incredible support in getting the project over the line.

“This open day is the culmination of our appreciation of that support,” Mr Glynn said.

“The Hope Centre is a big deal to us and to the community.

“Ultimately we are integrating education and health.”

The official opening will take place in late April, presided over by Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester.

IMAGE: Hope Centre board chair, Peter Down and board member Ricky Ross, outside the almost finished Hope Centre. K230-2608