2017-04-18 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   18 APRIL 2017




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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                                  18 APRIL 2017

           In addition, a number of individuals contacted Council’s Libraries and Galleries Manager saying that
           they wanted to meet with Council Officers to discuss how they could help save the Hall. On
           December 21 the Director of Community Services and the Libraries and Gallery Manager met with
           over 30 interested individuals to discuss the future of the Hall. At this meeting the concept of forming
           an Incorporated Association to work in partnership with Council to restore, manage and operate the
           hall was muted.

           3.4      Letters and written submissions

           Following the public meeting there was a number of letters to the local community newspapers about
           the Hall and Council also received a handful of letters and submissions on the subject.
           The sentiments expressed in these letters were generally of the opinion that the Hall was an
           important part of Cooroy’s history which needed to be preserved, but that due to it being somewhat
           neglected over the past few decades it needed a facelift and an upgrade to the kitchens and the
           amenities.

           Council received eleven written submissions which were generally more comprehensive than the
           online discussion. Some of the submission content included:

               | believe our sense of community is supported in part by the built environment that surrounds
               us. In many ways it reflects our past values and endeavours and provides us with a platform
               for appreciating who we are and what is important to guide our future as a community. Every
               Significant historical building that is destroyed or allowed to deteriorate beyond repair, is an
               attack on the past and diminishes us both as individuals and as a community, now and into the
               future. The Cooroy Memorial Hall and School of Arts risks being one such building. We should
               not let that happen.
               If the hall was well maintained and more appealing in its inside appearance, the rents kept within
               the means of the community who use it and a friendly management that is easy to get along
               with, easy to obtain keys and flexible to suit the tenants within reason, | think it's future could be
               quite grand and well supported.
               | am of the belief there will be some willing volunteers including tradies that can help keep the
               costs down. However, | believe we need Council expertise in organizing etc.
           Some of these written submissions were also concerned about the cost of refurbishing the hall, for
           example:
               We oppose using a million dollars of ratepayers’ money to do this work knowing full well that
               constant maintenance is going to be required to keep this old building up to standard. Very often
               emotions get in the way of reality and | know that the hall was erected to commemorate the
               returned soldiers of WW1, but a memorial garden on the site as proposed by others | am sure
               would be appreciated

           4.       Establishment                   of    the       Cooroy            Memorial
                    Hall Association

           Approximately 50 members of the Cooroy community met on January 4 2017 at the Cooroy library
           and agreed to form the Cooroy Memorial Hall Association (CMHA).

           The Association is to consist of an executive committee and two sub committees - a building sub-
           committee and a hall promotion and marketing sub-committee. Subsequent to the January 4 meeting

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