The ageing Sutherland Entertainment Centre should be refurbished, rather than replaced, in the short term, a feasibility study commissioned by Sutherland Shire Council recommends..
Long-term planning for the precinct in which the facility is located, should continue, with negotiations already under way to acquire the St John’s Anglican Church site, the study concluded.
The consultant said, with better use of Engadine Community Centre and Sutherland School of Arts, a new and larger dual venue project to replace the Entertainment Centre was not the preferred option.
While the council determined the future strategic direction for arts and culture, a basic refurbishment approach should be adopted, the consultant said.
Results of the feasibility study, including full costings, were received by the council late last year, but only extracts were made public in a report by council staff.
Councillors will discuss the options at a weekend workshop in early March.
Mayor Carmelo Pesce said it was time for a decision.
“Do we give it a lick of paint and move on, keep the building and bring it up to required standards or go all the way and replace it with a new centre with two venues and cafes, which would cost $50-60 million?” he said.
“The middle option appears to be the most feasible, but that’s what we need to talk about.”
Cr Pesce said the workshop would be held in the Entertainment Centre “so we can feel and touch it, and see what the issues are, and the staff can tell us what the challenges are”.
Cr Carol Provan, who moved the motion for the workshop, said, “everyone seems to be on side about what is possible, rather than what is a pipe dream”.
“It would be nice to have a great, brand new Entertainment Centre, but I think an extensive refurbishment is all we need,” she said.
The feasibility study examined potential redevelopment of the entire precinct, including the other council owned sites – the Flora Street public car park, council administration centre and Multi-Purpose Centre.
St John’s Anglican Church’s site, on the corner of Flora Street and Belmont Street, was included in the study.
The consultant advised development of between nine to twelve storeys was permitted under the local environmental plan (LEP).
The consultant advised the gross site value of the car park and church sites was $42-84 million and the administration centre $20-39 million.
“The gross values do not allow for acquisition costs associated with the church site ($8-15M), replacement of the Multi-Purpose Centre ($3-5M) or replacement public parking ($12-20M),” the consultant said.
”There appears to be insufficient value from the administration centre site to pay for a new administration building of equivalent area to the existing building ($45-50M).”
The consultant advised, to fully understand the precinct potential, the council should continue to negotiate with the Anglican Church on whether its site could be included.
St John’s parish declined to comment.
Built 41 year ago, the Entertainment Centre has been the subject of numerous reports. A furore erupted over an attempt in 2013 to reclassify the site, which could have provided opportunity for other uses.
