Pride Centre to launch win

Mayor Darcy Byrne – pictured with Cr Anna York and Labor candidate Mat Howard – welcomed the decision, saying the Inner West has been the home to a large and vibrant LGBTIQ community for many decades and they have been the beating heart and soul of the struggle for civil rights in this country. “That’s why we’ve been so determined to bring this vision to life,” he said.
The Inner West will forge a new chapter in the narrative of Australian Pride by establishing a ‘Pride Centre’ to bring together the LGBTI community in a single and powerful space.
Set to be established at Newtown Neighbourhood Centre (NNC), it will showcase Sydney’s diversity, pave directions for its future, and honour and celebrate Australia’s LGBTIQ community’s brave – and at times difficult – past.
It will be home to practical and supportive services as well being an international tourist destination and will follow NNC’s move to a new premises better suiting their operations at Tom Foster Community Centre.
A dedicated space for LGBTIQ community groups to meet, hold events, run programs and progress rights, Inner West will join cities like Toronto, Amsterdam, Los Angeles and New York which all boast pride centres while the Victorian Government is also in the process of building one in St Kilda.
After the Inner West Council voted to initiate an Expressions of Interest (EOI) process to run the centre, Mayor Darcy Byrne said this was a big step forward.
“As Mayor I am committed to making the council progressive and effective,” he said.
“This Pride Centre is a great example of that ethos.”
Mat Howard, Labor Candidate for Marrickville, said: “Sydney deserves its very own Pride Centre, particularly with landmark events like World Pride in 2023.
“The council is making sure our community has a place to celebrate, organise and support one another. This will be the home of the LGBTIQ+ community and reinforce Newtown and the Inner West’s reputation as Australia’s queer capital.”