The renovations to the Brown Hill Hall are going to leave us with a massively improved hall: new entrance, new kitchen, increased storage space and new toilets. We’ll even get some out door power points! It’s a big long-term win.
Short-term, though… things could be a bit messy. Contractors will need to fence off parts of the site. Public safety must be ensured, so during certain parts of the construction, access might be limited or prohibited. The sequence of building works might have an impact on how soon we can get back in… there are lots of things to consider.
As with any major project, the logistics are complex and the messaging can get ….well….. confused?
Many hall users have received a message from one City of Ballarat representative asking them to seek alternative venues from July until December. While this is likely to be the period during which the works are undertaken, it isn’t clear whether the hall will be closed, or whether relocating is being suggested as a mutually convenient option (convenient for the building contractors who might be happy to not have people under their feet and convenient for some hall users who can easily relocate to an equally suitable venue).
I have spoken to the City of Ballarat Project Manager who is dealing directly with the short-listed contractors and they have all assured him that they can accommodate the market operating, subject to half the car park being blocked off. We can work with that… half a car park during Winter still gets most of our outdoor stalls onto the site.
If the situation changes, I’ll post here to let you know. In the meantime, we can only proceed on the best advice we have… so brochures have been printed and are being distributed and our July start date is in the calendar section of My Ballarat which is out now!