Published on Wednesday, 4 November 2020 at 12:05:59 PM
To the Community:
On behalf of Council, I would like to sincerely thank the Brookton Community for their continued patience and understanding as we work through the many and varied issues with the Memorial Town Hall & Railway Station. The following provides an update on Shire progress on both these important buildings to date:
What we know:
- We have engaged Mr. Stephen Carrick - Architect with considerable experience with Heritage Buildings to prepare three options for the Memorial Town Hall for Council to consider in conjunction with the Community. Those three options involve (1) Full Restoration of the Memorial Town Hall buildings internally and externally to restore the building to its original condition and functionality; (2) Full Refurbishment of the Hall buildings, internally and externally to contemporary standard with improvements for differing uses of each building and (3) a concept design for a new Multi-Use Hall, of unique architectural character.
- We have spoken with our Insurers with regards to the Railway Station and we have commenced communications with the Public Transport Authority (PTA) around the Railway Station Building and are awaiting their response.
What we don’t know:
- We don’t know how long the PTA will take to come back to us, but we are regularly checking in with their Leasing Agent (and our contact point) stressing the importance of this issue to Council and the Community.
What we are going to do:
- Council has formulated a timeline with regard to the Memorial Town Hall and whilst we acknowledge the busy nature of our community, in order to ensure a decision is made prior to the start of Winter 2021 Public Consultation will take place over the Summer.
- Council will facilitate two public meetings to present the three options for the Memorial Town Hall to the Community. These two sessions, whilst hosted by Council will focus on presentation by the Architect, during the first week of December; While, we acknowledge and appreciate it is a busy time, we need to keep moving on the Hall designs to ensure decisions are made in an informed and timely manner.
- We are attempting to maintain pressure on the PTA to allow us to progress the decision making around the Railway Station.
- Council has always maintained that the Community will be informed and consulted along the way for both the Memorial Town Hall and the Railway Station Building; and I continue to maintain assurance that the Council is committed to this process.
What we need you to do:
- We need the Community to continue to be patient, both issues are very important to Council and you the Community and whilst some may wish to see Council make a rushed decision, this is not in the best interests of the Community today or in the future. It is imperative that Council has accurate information and advice to ensure that the correct decision is made for the majority of the Community.
- Accordingly, we need you the Community to actively participate in the Public Consultation process around the Hall, attend a briefing session, ask your questions of the Architect and then lodge a submission, even if that simply says you support Option 1, 2 or 3, in order for Council to understand the broad views of the whole community we need you to get involved.
Cr Katrina Crute on behalf of the Shire of Brookton Councillor’s.
4 November 2020
Back to All News