Surf Coast Shire Council determined the location and features of a future cultural facility in Torquay at Tuesday night's Council meeting.
The preferred model is an entire redevelopment of the site that currently accommodates the Surf Coast Sport and Recreation Centre, Australian National Surfing Museum and Visitor Information Centre.
The new cultural facility will comprise an all-in-one library, arts facility, Australian National Surfing Museum and Visitor Information Centre, which will create some exciting opportunities for the community and visitors.
On Tuesday night, Council also resolved to pursue a lease for a community-led arts facility in the Surf Coast Sport and Recreation Centre in the shorter term, while detailed planning occurs and funding is secured for the longer-term development. The lease would commence in early 2021 - when the centre will no longer be needed for sport and recreation - and run for up to five years.
A recent Council feasibility study and Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC) infrastructure plan found that the existing Torquay Library needs to be expanded to meet current and future population and expectations. The existing library floor space is 380m2 and needs to grow to around 1,600m2.
The feasibility study considered seven sites in Torquay and assessed four models with different combinations of features. The GRLC provided input into the feasibility study adding expertise gained from recent library developments in the region.
Mayor Cr Rose Hodge said this was an exciting milestone as it would help meet the short and long term cultural needs of the Surf Coast Shire.
"It is terrific to be able to resolve on the location and features of a cultural facility that combines a library, Australian National Surfing Museum, arts facility and Visitor Information Centre," Mayor Hodge said.
"This will deliver an outstanding facility in the coming years for locals and visitors. While we do the detailed planning and seek funding for the development, it will be great to see the local arts community use the Surf Coast Sport and Recreation Centre which will no longer be needed for this purpose when the new multipurpose indoor stadium opens in 2021."
Council will now enter into a more detailed planning phase for the cultural facility which will include further investigation of a building concept, refinement of cost estimates, funding strategy, traffic movement analysis, detailed parking analysis and consider future use of the existing library site.
Alongside the feasibility study, Council has been working with a Multidisciplinary Arts Collective since Council previously resolved that the Surf Coast Sport and Recreation Centre be used as a community-led arts facility.
"I thank the Multidisciplinary Arts Collective who have been working hard to create a representative group and a management plan that will guide the use of the facility for the next few years. I can't wait to attend arts performances and exhibitions there next year!" Mayor Hodge said.
