Ballarat's Visitor Information Centre may go to St Andrew's Kirk

By Marcus Power
Updated November 2 2012 - 2:19pm, first published July 8 2010 - 2:43pm
St Andrew's Kirk is one of three locations put forward as a possible long-term home for the city's visitor information centre. Picture: Lachlan Bence
St Andrew's Kirk is one of three locations put forward as a possible long-term home for the city's visitor information centre. Picture: Lachlan Bence

AFTER a few trips to the bank, visitors to Ballarat's tourist information centre might one day be off to church.The Courier understands St Andrew's Kirk is one of three locations put forward in a Ballarat City Council report as a possible long term home for the city's visitor information centre.The report will recommend the council investigate that possibility in coming months.It will also recommend council officers evaluate the pros and cons of housing the centre at the redeveloped Civic Hall site, and the Town Hall when the council's administration moves to the Civic Hall site.But the Sturt Street church, which is included on the Victorian Heritage Register, is believed to be favoured because of its central location and number of car parks.It is not clear whether the council would look at using the church building, hall or another structure for the centre.The same report is understood to recommend the visitor centre be temporarily housed at a former National Australia Bank branch in Lydiard Street North.The City of Ballarat yesterday declined to comment on the contents of the report, which will be tabled at a council meeting next Wednesday.Ballarat Central Uniting Church council chairwoman Adri Stickland said council officers had looked at the site recently.But she denied the church and the council had come to any agreement about the use of the church or the site for the tourist centre. ``We've certainly not had any definitive discussions, no,'' Mrs Stickland saidMrs Stickland said the church council had in the last 18 months looked at several proposals to help meet high maintenance costs. No Sunday services are held at the church but it is used for a weekday service, weddings and funerals. The visitor centre must move from its present location at the Eureka Centre by September, to make way for redevelopment works.

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