Brian J Hannan: Sorry, got to have a whinge. But this does deserve sharing. Council held an arts and culture study (cost $40K), survey closing on 10 Aug, and report to Council next December. Community forums were held at Pak and KWR - obviously the Hills are non-artistic worthy (I did raise it with the coordinator). The mayor reported that already almost half of all residents, more than the state average, take part in creative activities like painting, drawing and craft, playing a musical instrument, singing, performing or creative writing. So knowing we already have a high penetration greater than the state average doing arts and culture at existing venues, and before the study is published what do we find in todays Pakenham Gazette about the most broke Council in Victoria (also spending $2.5M on a new sports stadium at ... ... Officer Secondary College) - hang on, isnt the State responsible for education? As reported: Will spend $3.25M over the next 3 years on a new arts facility We dont have a designated arts facility. This is the same shire that intends to sell off 2 lots at Pepis Land beside Hamilton Road - worse, a section of Pepis listed as Significant Landscape SLO1 ... the sale needed because If Council does not proceed with the sale a shortfall will exist in the budgeted cash balance of $750,000 and this would require to be replenished through other sources of revenue. We dont have a designated arts facility should have added to it for the growth corridor focal point. Oh, hang on, we DO have that wonderful former and possibly present white elephant the Cardinia Cultural Centre which Council describes already as the largest ARTS AND CULTURAL centre in the Shire. Just to further twist the knife, Council recently did an audit of the existing use of community facilities ... ... and found UNDERUTILISATION. If it was my business, Id look for ways to better utilize existing facilities. I submitted to the study But what it says to me is that before spending anything on more arts and cultural facilities, Council needs to review the existing, and if necessary negotiate better utilisation. Still, I guess we in the Hills should be happy that our rates are so low and we are getting a new facility only half an hours drive away ... Rant ends.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 07:59:33 +0000
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