The Shire Council should prepare itself for a battle should it decide to sell the historic Tuross Head Progress Hall.
For more local news and photos grab a copy of the Bay Post or Moruya Examiner.
That was the promise yesterday, by Tuross Head Association members, as they prepared to confront council over reports it would reclassify the land on which the historically listed building sits, a precursor to the sale.
Association secretary Ted Williams said the group had been chasing council for answers for months. Their biggest concern was ensuring that once sold, council would protect the sale proceeds for the Tuross Head community.
Mr Williams said council gave no response to their direct questions but issued a statement that read: “Council is considering reclassifying the Progress Hall property to operational land in the new Local Environment Plan with a view to selling or redeveloping the site”.
Council invited the association to discuss the matter five months ago but Mr Williams said that until now they had declined the offer.
“What’s the point of going to talk about things when they refuse to answer the questions we had already directed to them?” Mr Williams said.
“They’ve already got to the point of having it changed for the LEP so it doesn’t exactly promote having a discussion.”
The role of the association since 1947 has been to encourage progress in Tuross Head. Association member Lei Parker said the Progress Hall was built in the late 1940s on land gifted to Tuross by its people.
“The whole parcel of land was originally given to the people of Tuross, who thereupon built the hall with donations and labour and love,” Mr Parker said.
“The hall and the land it sits on therefore absolutely and ethically belong to the people of Tuross.”
Mr Parker said that if council considered going through with the sale, questions regarding ownership would be asked.
“We have endeavoured to gain all facts regarding ownership of the hall and questions regarding ownership and the current heritage order would absolutely be asked,” he said.
“Everything has been very much under the table so we’re trying to bring the facts up and move forward from there.”
Mr Williams said that if council was intent on selling the Progress Hall then the proceeds could be used to update the area’s second hall at Kyla Park.
“It is the bigger of the two, but it needs work,” Mr Williams said.
“Our main concern is ensuring the sale funds don’t go back into the pot for Batemans Bay.”
Although Mr Williams felt that council’s decision had already been made, he confirmed that the association would be meeting with mayor Fergus Thomson and general manager Paul Anderson, yesterday afternoon.
“If they’ve made up their mind, they’ve made up their mind, community consultation or not,” he said.
“We just need to make sure that we don’t end up funding bricks on a wall in Batemans Bay.”
Email a friend