THE Bathurst Community Op Shop may be restored by time Christmas arrives.
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Repair work has been under way for several weeks to fix the building after it sustained significant fire damage on May 27.
Deputy mayor Bobby Bourke said the work was going well, with the roof almost complete and the painting now in progress.
“They’ve done a fair bit of work on the shop and hopefully in the next two weeks you’ll start to see some changes,” he said.
He said the work should be complete by Christmas, which will give volunteers a chance to set the shop up inside over the break.
The fire not only damaged the structure of the building, but destroyed furniture and donated items that were inside at the time.
Cr Bourke said WJ Coote, which will close on December 23, plans to give some of its furniture to the op shop that can be used to house goods.
Other businesses, including Dawson’s Removals and Westfund Health Insurance, have also offered support over the last few months.
- Read more: Westfund’s good will welcomed by op shop
Cr Bourke said the updated op shop will be more secure and will hopeful discourage crime in the area.
“The building itself will be more secure after the repairs; it will have CCTV and special lighting,” he said.
“It will also help out the area and the hockey complex.”
He thanked everyone who has continued to support the op shop while it has operated from sheds at the rear of the premises.
“I’d just like to thank everyone who has helped us out through the vandalism and the arson attack,” Cr Bourke said.
“We just hope that it don’t keep happening.”