Opposition Leader Luke Foley says a Labor government will restore iconic Bondi Pavilion
AFTER hosting some of the most popular film festivals in Australia, the Bondi Pavilion is set to be restored to its glory days with Labor pledging funds to upgrade its theatre.
NSW
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AFTER hosting some of the most popular film festivals in Australia, the Bondi Pavilion is set to be restored to its glory days with Labor pledging funds to upgrade its theatre.
The election commitment comes a year after a celebrity-led backlash forced then Liberal-led local council to dump a $38 million plan to commercialise the iconic beachfront building.
Instead, Waverley Council is to put forward a more modest upgrade plan for community consultation in September.
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The Castle star Michael Caton led a campaign to block the original upgrade plans, with Bondi celebrities including Dave Faulkner from The Hoodoo Gurus, Mental as Anything’s Pete O’Doherty and Mambo artist Reg Mombassa joining the “Darryl and Goliath” fight.
Central to the community’s angst were fears the upgrade would result in community groups who used the Pavilion being booted out in favour of commercial interests.
Speaking ahead of the release of the plan, State opposition leader Luke Foley today said Labor government would invest $350,000 towards the building to enable its historic theatre to be able to stream film, music and theatrical productions.
The Bondi Pavilion’s theatre is used for the Sydney Comedy Festival, theatrical productions, film screenings and Sydney TED talks.
It is open to professional, not-for-profit and amateur theatrical groups.
Mr Foley, who made the announcement with Waverley Mayor John Wakefield, Opposition arts spokesman Walt Secord and opposition heritage spokeswoman Penny Sharpe, said the pavilion needed to stay in public hands.
“What we are doing will help promote Australian creative talent and present it to the world”, he said.
The Labor-led council is consulting the community on its plan to renovate and upgrade the pavilion, with the total cost of the works estimated to be between $20-$25 million.
The renovation will involve the refurbishment of the Pavilion building and courtyards, together with the installation of state-of-the-art technology to the theatre and performance space.
Works have already begun on repairing and repainting the timber window and door woodwork, while both downstairs and upstairs toilets will undergo basic renovation.
Built in 1929, the pavilion is national icon and is listed on the NSW State and Australian Heritage registers.