THE Mount Gambier City Band is seeking to further enrich the city’s art scene by revamping the historic band hall into a state-of-the-art multi-function performing arts and community centre.
The band is calling for community support for a Fund My Neighbourhood grant application to overhaul the 50-year-old building.
“There is a need for a state-of-the-art community facility in that part of the city and we would love to see that happen,” Mount Gambier City Band president Craig Wood said.
Mr Wood said despite recent developments in the city, including the growth of Generations in Jazz and establishment of the James Morrison Academy of Music, Mount Gambier still struggled for recognition as a strong performing arts centre.
“The hall is an additional piece in the puzzle of growing our region as a music capital and it needs to reflect the fact that we have such a rich history as a music-loving community as well as vision for our future,” he said.
Mr Wood said the hall was in need of disability access improvements, which included toilets and ramps, as well as an up-to-date kitchen.
The band also plans to improve the street appearance of the hall with a mural on the building.
Mr Wood said the hall had been part of many people’s lives and remained an important community asset on the east side of the city.
Legislative Council local candidate Clare Scriven said the proposal to upgrade the city band hall ticked several of the category goals under the fund.
“Increasing facilities for people with a disability would meet the goal of ‘inclusion, health and wellbeing’,” Ms Scriven said.
As well as being home base for the 122-year-old Mount Gambier City Band, in recent years the band hall has helped in the development of new music groups within the city.
In 2010, the Mount Gambier City Concert Band was formed, followed by the Limestone Coast Symphony Orchestra in 2013, with both popular ensembles continuing to use the hall.
In addition, the band and hall fostered the development of a drum group in 2013 titled Percussion United.
Over recent years, the Mount Gambier City Band has prompted emergence of the Waawor Development Band as well as auspicing the Blue Lake Ukulele Ensemble.
Other community music groups currently calling the band hall home include the South East Showband and South East Primary Schools Music Festival orchestra.
Fund My Neighbourhood is a State Government program to improve local neighbourhoods and social cohesion, with grants between $10,000 to $150,000 available.
Nominations for Fund My Neighbourhood closed earlier this month.
Once vetting of projects for suitability is complete, residents will be able to view the ideas and vote for which concepts should be funded.
