Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame will close unless it can get funding for a new home
One of the Gold Coast’s most prestigious buildings is on the verge of closing unless council can find it a new home. See where
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The Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame is on its knees and will close unless council can help fund and find a new permanent home.
Councillors were made aware of the prestigious Hall’s fight for survival when community organisations fronted the governance committee on Monday. In the marathon session volunteers fight for a share of annual ratepayer-funded grants.
All submissions were considered eligible except the Hall of Fame which houses the Coast’s most treasured sporting items and awards. But the Hall of Fame submission was considered “non-conforming”, having either failed to be submitted in the correct format or within the submission period, officers warned.
“We have been advised by the applicant that should the submission not be considered then the Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame will be unable to continue its operations,” the report said.
The Hall has celebrated the achievements of the city’s greatest track and swimming stars and has a special “Olympic room” for elite stars.
Motorcycle legend Mick Doohan was the original inductee. Others are swimmer Andrew Baildon and cricketer Craig McDermott. The medals of legendary runner and late former Mayor Ron Clarke have been on display.
Hall of Fame director Geoff Smith said there were no national sporting teams when the Hall started and the Commonwealth Games had yet to occur but City leaders realised the importance of celebrating local heroes.
If the City was serious about growing its sporting profile and promoting sporting champions of tomorrow, the Hall needed a secure future, councillors were told.
The Hall was strongly supported by the late Roy Miller, the Bulletin’s managing director who joined its board and backed by former civic leaders Dawn Crichlow and Gary Baildon.
“We are here today to ask for a major increase in funding to what the Hall has received historically,” Mr Smith told the governance committee.
The hall’s home has been at Southport’s Owen Park in the heart of the city’s sporting precinct.
“It’s an historic house that is falling apart. We are spending most of our money on funding to repair it,” Mr Smith said.
“It would be remiss of our board to continue that. So we really need to move quickly.
“We have put forward a plan for relocating. We made a submission to council in August last year.”
The plan includes the Southport Aquatic Centre or Sports House at Varsity Lakes as temporary locations until a permanent home can be built.
Mr Wilson said Ms Crichlow in 1999 used her divisional funds to secure a heritage-listed colonial historical house from a developer to be moved to Owen Park.
He said a concept plan had been created for a stand-alone hall in the future, with the aim to attract private funding to ease the burden on ratepayers.
The new hall would include an interactive games centre where kids could “match their skills” with former top athletes in their chosen sport.
“Part of the strategy is to build up a membership base where we can attract business people by becoming an exclusive member of the hall,” he said.
Mr Smith said the $80,000 “ask” was a large increase but “modest” amount. The Hall has previously secured grants of $23,000.
Outside the meeting, governance committee chair and Southport councillor Brooke Patterson said it was important leading up to the 2032 Olympics to celebrate city sports achievements.
Councillors were weighing up requests but funding decisions would need to be made later in closed sessions where they could look at avaiable budgets.
“There's volunteers who have done the work to hold onto that (sporting home). They are in a difficult position,” Cr Patterson said.
“They have a lease of an asset which needs so much work. They are effectively having to pay operating expenses.
“Let’s not just look at the interim step but what is the future for the Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame.”
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