As the council will soon go into caretaker mode pending the October elections, the councillors should endorse action to activate the Civic Hall space for community use.
On this issue, council is to be commended for commissioning research to test community views.
This research found that around 70 per cent of the community would like to see the hall retrofitted for community use.
The community consultation and engagement process has also been a positive step and it is clear that a majority want the Civic Hall site to flourish.
Council's own reports show that a large indoor space like this would be a useful addition to the mix of venues in the CBD.
The site could be made available for entertainment purposes, community arts, exhibitions and the general use by the community.
Currently, events and festivals planned for next year such as the Foto Biennale, a rockabilly festival, and Heritage Week, will struggle to have access to enough suitable large indoor venues in the CBD.
It is surprising that Regional Tourism Ballarat has not acknowledged this and advocated for action to speed up the activation of the Civic Hall space.
Many people have recently had access to the Civic Hall building and have seen first-hand that minimal funding could make the main hall usable again.
Council should listen to the community and commit to restoring the site.
Ten years without a significant community space in the CBD is far too long.
BELINDA COATES
Greens candidate, Central Ward
