'Not just all about Vinnies': Charity stepping in to manage former YMCA

The charity has been offering laundry services, showers and free breakfasts from the City of Launceston-owned building for some time, taking the reins from the Launceston Benevolent Society who began offering those services after the former tenants vacated in 2022.

The Y, formerly the YMCA, sought emergency funding to continue operations at the site, but was unsuccessful.

Now, the council and the charity have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) - an in-principle agreement - which will allow the St Vincent de Paul Society to expand its role in managing the site.

Tasmania branch chief executive officer Heather Kent said the building presented "so many opportunities" to bring together other groups under the one roof.

"It's not just all about Vinnies," she said.

"It's about so many organisations across the broader community, representing a variety of different interests, many, many age groups and working together to help bring this asset back to the community.

"There are so many opportunities that this particular building represents."

Ms Kent said the charity would act as the lead organisation in managing the site and, depending on volunteer availability, expand its support offerings as about 50 people per week made use of the services.

The council previously consulted with 11 community organisations over the site's future.

Acting mayor Hugh McKenzie said Vinnies had emerged as the best choice and could work with other groups to ensure the Kings Meadows site remained an active community hub.

Cr McKenzie said the next steps, like granting a long-term lease over the building, would be put to councillors at an upcoming meeting, but the agreement meant the facility would be used as it had been previously.

"The MoU is really designed to contain the use of the facilities that previously were for sporting clubs," he said.

"We're very keen to ensure that those facilities are actually still used in that way.

"We think that there's a great community need for lots of different things and this being the hub of Kings Meadows means that there are a lot of other opportunities."