It has taken 12 years and has had its share of controversy, but arts campaigner Jeannie Brewer has welcomed an $8 million “fabulous start” to the Batemans Bay arts centre.
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The Perfex lobby group spokeswoman was delighted to hear NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announce the grant at the Soldiers Club on Monday, March 26.
The grant falls short of the $13 million budgeted to build the arts and cultural centre on the Mackay Park precinct.
“The budget that (Eurobodalla Shire) council has for the arts component is $13 million, so we have a little way to go, but, hey, it is a fabulous start – a really fabulous start,” Ms Brewer told the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner after the announcement.
Controversy has to come and we tried our hardest, but we have to move on
- Jeannie Brewer
She hopes the federal government and Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis will top up the funding bucket.
“That is what we are hoping. I am sure Ann Sudmalis will want to look after Batemans Bay, so we are hoping the feds look after us,” she said.
Planning for the centre has had it share of acrimony and controversy in recent months.
This building needs to be built so there is room for growth and expansion
Ms Brewer publicly backed the concerns of a prominent member of the advisory sunset committee when he resigned citing issues including the size of the planned centre.
However, Ms Brewer said it was time to leave that behind.
She said a 500-seat theatre was on drawing board, but was yet to be finalised.
Perfex would prefer a larger theatre “just for the sake of Batemans Bay and our future”, but was prepared to compromise.
“As long as the building can be built, so if need be, more seats can be added later … that is what we want,” she said.
“We want to build for the future. It will be a long time before this opportunity comes again and we would never build a new centre again. This building needs to be built so there is room for growth and expansion and it is built strongly enough to allow for that.”
Ms Brewer said the announcement was a relief.
“It is a relief to be moving on,” she said.
He said, ‘watch out Jim, Jeannie Brewer is on the warpath, she will be wanting some money, wanting a centre’.
“Controversy has to come and we tried our hardest, but we have to move on.”
She praised Bega MP Andrew Constance for 12 years of backing for a performing arts and exhibition space, as both an Opposition and government MP.
“Andrew has been incredibly supportive right from the start,” she said.
“It was Andrew who first announced at a St Cecilia concert that Perfex was beginning and he warned the then general manager, Jim Levy. He said, ‘watch out Jim, Jeannie Brewer is on the warpath, she will be wanting some money, wanting a centre’.