A $539,639 contract for the electrical and AV upgrade works at the Maryborough Town Hall was awarded to EPM&C Pty Ltd at the October Council Meeting last night (24/10).
The project is being funded by the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.
Central Goldfields Shire Mayor Cr Grace La Vella said Council was thrilled to see the contract awarded so that the Town Hall can be re-opened for community use again.
“The Town Hall is a valued community asset with architectural significance as a notable and largely intact example of a late nineteenth century provincial town hall, and as a major public building designed by the prominent Melbourne architect George Johnson.
“Finding a suitable contractor to carry out the required works was much more difficult than anticipated. After several unsuccessful tender processes and a renewed approach by our officers we are thrilled to have secured a suitably qualified contractor for the works.
“Council staff will now work with the contractor to determine a date for works to start with the hope this will be as soon as possible.”
“To complement the project, officers are also working on a full audit of the building against the Building Code and Disability Discrimination Act and investigating Heritage Conservation elements to develop a short, medium and long-term strategy to bring the building up to contemporary standards.
“Long term, we will continue to seek funding opportunities that would see us be able to restore the Town Hall to its former glory. Additional funding would allow us to carry out additional upgrade works so that the Hall could be more widely used and open more often.
“These additional upgrade works would include creation of a function and modernised performance space, regional conferencing facilities as well as community and creative industry spaces.
“The Maryborough Town Hall forms a central part of the full civic upgrade planned for Maryborough which will support the town to further cement its role as a regional centre, serving communities across the area in terms of access to new, high quality cultural, civic and wellbeing opportunities.”
