President of the Bairnsdale Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Trevor Hancock, is advocating for civic and cultural centre in Bairnsdale.
Mr Hancock said last year Rupert Myer AO, from a family that has always invested in community, particularly in the arts, asserted that Australia has a maturing confidence from which all can share and benefit.
Mr Myer AO called on government, industry, business, philanthropy and media to act with urgency to secure a future in which arts, culture and creative industries can successfully support the social and economic strategies they directly and positively impact.
Mr Hancock said it’s time to “think big” and get “a community lead project” off the ground to establish a cultural hub in East Gippsland.
“Bairnsdale is absolutely ready for our arts, culture and creative industries to successfully support the social and economic development of our town and shire,” he said.
“It’s time to come together to establish a civic and cultural centre with proven far reaching benefits from establishing such a complex.
“It’s time to elevate the internationally important ‘Keeping Place’ collection, it’s time to build a real art gallery, it’s time to build an updated Forge Theatre.
“It’s time for a civic centre and real conference centre.
“We, as a united community, can achieve this and provide facilities and programs for our children through to our growing, ageing population.
“We have a real opportunity to do something to put our town on the map.”
Mr Hancock said a significant amount of money has been invested on sporting fields and sport pavilions in Bairnsdale over the past few years and now it’s time to recognise the large number of attendees at cultural events and the significant impact of cultural facilities and events on the tourism industry.
“How long have we been talking about the need for a civic/conference facility in Bairnsdale?” he questioned.
“Lets get this community-led major project going.
“Funding from governments is important but so also is funding from business, private citizens and philanthropy. Our history has set a cracking pace when, in 1942, Bairnsdale won a national competition for providing the government with the largest war loan of any town its size.
“Great galleries around the world and in Australia have benefited from private support. From the Felton Bequest at the National Gallery of Victoria to the amazing support from Trusts and Foundations. Our new centre can benefit from the largest growing area of giving: bequests.
“I can tell you supporting our arts and culture is good for business and there is much to commend leaving a legacy for future generations of East Gippslanders.
“Our arts/cultural centre can be the most creative in our nation. Building on and developing the latest technology to not only deliver benefits across our shire but also allowing the world to tap into the unique stories cramped into the current ‘Keeping Place’.
“We can take advantage of amazing new developments in AI (artificial intelligence) to advance academic enquiry and give our children and wider community opportunities previously only available in major cities.”
And where you might ask should a civic/cultural centre be?
“Let’s be bold and look at Howitt Park,” Mr Hancock said.
“A prominent position, plenty of room for parking (60 per cent of tourists tow a caravan), on the edge of our much-needed development of the Mitchel River, by our under-loved botanic garden and positioned on Australia’s number one highway.”
Mr Hancock has created a visual impression of what Bairnsdale “deserves” at Howitt Park (pictured page 1).
“Accept nothing less, so future generations can look back on with respect at what our community developed on a magnificent site,” he said.
IMAGE: President of the Bairnsdale Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Trevor Hancock, says it’s time to think big and build a cultural and civic centre at Howitt Park. He said the region needs to create a building the town deserves “so future generations can look back on with respect at what our community developed on a magnificent site”.
