Salvos eye new opportunities after Parramatta sale

After 48 years, The Salvation Army has sold its Smith Street site to GTP Group for $31.2 million.

The Salvation Army has been present in Parramatta for 132 years and in that time its work has grown and evolved. Its current services include Youth Link initiative, Financial counseling services, a corps (church), as well as a host of community programs to help those in need.

Parramatta Corps Officer, Major Grant Sandercock-Brown, says, “This has been a tough decision as there are a lot of memories attached to the property. The site was bought and paid for by the efforts of the local Salvos in the 60s, many of whom still attend.”

The aging Smith Street facilities were struggling to meet the needs of Parramatta’s growing commercial and residential communities. This sale will enable The Salvation Army to acquire a more appropriate site that will help improve the delivery of services in the area.

Major Sandercock-Brown says The Salvation Army will continue to have a strong presence in Parramatta.

“We’ll continue to serve our local community as we search for a new site over the next 12 months,” he said.

A very buoyant local property market means The Salvation Army will have to utilise all of its resources to find a suitable new venue. However, Parramatta Salvos and the team at headquarters are working hard on the next stage of our journey. Major Sandercock-Brown states, “we might be moving to a new and unknown, location but our desire bring hope into people’s lives hasn’t changed."