THIRTY TWO homeless people are to be kicked out of the Stan Reilly centre in Fremantle to make way for temporary council offices.

The council will spend $3 million demolishing the former aged care centre and installing transportable buildings where staff will be based during the Kings Square redevelopment.

St Pat’s have a rolling monthly lease at Stan Reilly and use it for storage, office space and temporary accommodation.

Demolition is due to start in March and council staff relocated by September. They will stay there for about two years.

The men being evicted are St Pat’s clients and CEO Steve McDermott is worried the short notice doesn’t give him much time to find alternative accommodation.

“Whilst we are concerned for the future of our current residents, and longer term the loss of 32 beds for those who are homeless, as well as offices for other services housed at the site (particularly given the unexpectedly short time line); we are hopeful that the constructive discussions we have underway with Fremantle council may result in workable solutions,” he says.

At Wednesday’s full council meeting, Cr Rachel Pemberton pushed through an amendment that Fremantle work with St Pat’s to find alternative accommodation for the men currently living at Stan Reilly.

The motion also ordered an acceptable termination date for St Pat’s lease be negotiated.

Once the council move into its new HQ at Kings Square, the Stan Reilly site would be converted to a public car park until Fremantle Oval is redeveloped.

City staff say Stan Reilly is now too old and a negative asset.

Meanwhile the council is planning to hold its meetings at different venues throughout the city, with North Fremantle community hall being the debut date on the tour.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK