Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre set for state-of-the-art upgrades this summer
Shoalhaven City Council says COVID-19 restrictions have allowed time for state-of-the-art upgrades to the region’s only entertainment centre.
The South Coast News
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COVID-19 restrictions have provided the opportunity for upgrades of the state-of-the-art Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, twelve years after it was opened to the public.
Shoalhaven City Council, who run the space, has employed local architectural firm Edmiston Jones to manage the upgrades, with work expected to start in December.
Plans for the upgrade include improvements to maintain building compliance, a redesign of the centre’s Encore cafe & Bar, and a new loading dock shelter to increase the accessibility of equipment to the venue in all weather conditions.
There will also be upgrades to sound, lighting and audiovisual systems, council said.
The new centre is scheduled to re-open in May next year.
Shoalhaven mayor Amanda Findley said the space is a “valuable cultural asset” to the region, attracting “world-class performances” and has become an “essential” community asset.
“The upgrade will ensure the entertainment centre maintains its reputation as a state-of-the-art facility for years to come,” she said.
“As COVID-19 restrictions, and border closures continue to curtail national and international touring and impact the viability of entertainment venues, council considered this an opportune time to undertake the upgrades.”
She said the work will have minimal impact on neighbours with noise and dust and additional worksite traffic, and the centre’s Encore cafe & Bar and meeting rooms will remain open until the end of November.
There will also be no interruption to the Nowra Visitor Information or Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre Box Office services as they will be relocated to the foyer in council’s administration building.
Some parking adjacent to the centre, and the forecourt, will be used to house a temporary worksite office and builders’ compound.
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