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MODE’s Design Celebrated In Nguru Walalja Community Store Opening

Announcement posted by MODE 01 Jun 2016

MODE will be attending the grand opening for the new Nguru Walalja Community Store on June 1 in Yuendumu which is hosted by the office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to celebrate the completion of another Community Stores Infrastructure Project, funded

The Nguru Walalja Community Store is one out of ten stores to be completed by MODE as part of the closing the gap initiative which strives to provide remote communities with fresh food and a variety of supermarket goods which is generally available in larger areas.

Lead project architect, Jenny Culgan from MODE, says they have constructed four medium and three new small stores, refurbished three existing stores, and constructed manager’s residences throughout the Northern Territory.

“The concept for the stores was to come up with a standard design for medium and small stores which could be used anywhere and the reality has been that the standard design has been adapted to each community after consultation with the store committees. Those communities where stores are complete have been very successful,” said Jenny Culgan.

MODE worked with local Alice Springs company Asbuild NT, for the Nguru Walalja Community Store in Yuendumu, who have been building in remote locations for the past eight years and was headed by Paul Graham and Mick Shaw.

Jenny Culgan also said how the project set parameters for local indigenous employment and the build at Yuendumu and Asbuild NT employed Dennis Gordon, Sebastian Robertson and Kevin Wayne who together contributed 850 hours to all aspects of the build and showed great enthusiasm and initiative and was a real benefit to the project.

“As part of MODE’s ethos, we support and encourage local employment in our projects. We are right behind Asbuild’s local Indigenous employment parameter to keep locals working within their community,” said Jenny Culgan.

Along with Asbuild and the local indigenous employment, the project utilised the local arts community to produce art panels for the exterior of the building.

The opening day will bring the local community, project employees and local members together to showcase the new Community Store and demonstrate the positive effects that this closing the gap initiative is having on communities throughout the Northern Territory.


--ENDS

Photos can be supplied after the event.