Marangaroo Family Centre Inc was born out of a vision by a small group of new mothers in the early 1990s. This group recognised the need for additional community controlled child development facilities to be established in the north-eastern suburbs of Perth to support the many new parents and families moving to the area. The Marangaroo Family Centre Inc. association was formed to coordinate a local campaign to lobby parliamentarians and this concerted action resulted in the construction of the first Marangaroo Family Centre facility in 1995. The building was destroyed by arson in 1997 and rebuilt in 1998 and continues to thrive today with the continued support of local residents and communities.
Our city and suburbs have experienced significant changes to the built environment since the early days of the association and these changes have been accompanied by significant changes to the social and demographic characteristics of our local communities.
The Marangaroo Family Centre Inc Board recognises the opportunity presented by the creation of the Empowering Communities program to update and refresh the role of the association and the facility for a broader group of local people and communities. The Board sees the new program as providing a new impetus for initiatives and partnerships that respond to a wider and more representative community. This is largely in recognition of the significant shift in the key characteristics of the community over time – in age, gender, culture and lifestyle.
A key strategy to promote this broader role is to re-name the Marangaroo Family Centre facility The Hepburn Centre. The Hepburn Centre is named after the main road that runs through the south ward of the City of Wanneroo.
This new name and brand will enable the association to identify with and appeal to communities across the south ward of the City, rather than identifying with one suburb, age group or gender group. It is well known by local people but not tied to one place. Hepburn Centre will recognise and promote the strengths and assets in our communities and build on them to empower and support our local people. The new approach acknowledges that community members themselves hold the power to improve the community and community relationships, and aligns with them.
The Hepburn Centre, located in the centre of the south ward of the City of Wanneroo will be a meeting place and activity venue which values diversity and actively promotes its core theme – of connecting people and communities.
