Wednesday February 21, 2024
Volume 39 No. 05
$2 inc. GST
The Cobar Weekly Police seize drugs, firearms and cash Pg 2
Serenading seniors come together Pg 3
Funding for Royal Far West service Pg 5
Lots of ideas for Town Hall Cinema masterplan Cobar Shire Council has engaged award building, he said it will put council in a better Suggestions for the building’s future use that winning architects, Dunn and Hillam, along position to apply for funding if the project is came from the community consultations inwith the community, to help create a plan to already “shovel ready”. cluded: a pop-up gallery/exhibition space; a bring the Town Hall Cinema building back Architects Ashley Dunn and Sophie Canaris venue for weddings/celebrations; a space for to life. have recommended the plan should protect the market stalls; a dance studio shared space; a Council conducted three community consul- main element, the original hall. venue for movies; a putt putt golf course; tations sessions last Wednesday (one of which They recommended demolishing the layers bowling alley; and a games arcade. was with Cobar High School students) and are of extensions that have been added to the It was agreed that the building should be a currently running an online survey asking resi- building over the years including the ticket multi-purpose shared space. dents what they’d like to see happen to the foyer, the kitchen and toilet block (some of There was only one objector to council refurgrand old building in Barton Street. which contain asbestos). bishing the building with Cr Julie Payne sugWhen the building was first built in 1893 it “If you strip back the add-ons, that will re- gesting council sell the building to a private operated as a theatre and a cinema and, over solve a lot of the issues,” Mr Dunn said. investor who might set it up as “a restaurant or the years, it’s been used by the community in a It’s proposed the stage would also be re- something”. multitude of different ways. moved and a courtyard and new amenities built “It’s just another thing for council to look Locals have recalled attending movie prem- on the northern side of the hall. after and maintain,” Cr Payne said. iers, debutante balls, dances, wedding receptions (and later B&S Balls, Bluelight Discos and Roller Discos), watching Neil Armstrong land on the moon on a black and white TV in 1969, and going to art exhibitions, fetes, plays, concerts, dance classes and band practice in the hall. Council’s general manager Peter Vlatko said the Town Hall Cinema is a community asset that council would like to see brought back to life. “If that’s what the community wants,” Mr Vlatko said. He said the consultation sessions will help council to work out what this building could be used for in the future. Mr Vlatko explained council had received grant funding through the Resources for Regions program to review the structural integrity of the building and create a plan for its future use. He stressed council however does not yet have the funding to carry out any upgrade works but, by creating a masterplan for the Council’s draft concept design for the Town Hall Cinema building.