Civic Hall fully fitted out

WORTH two million dollars, the second stage of capital works at the Civic Hall are now complete.

The function and performance facility now includes a basic commercial kitchen, dumbwaiter, adjacent storage space, and a lift to improve accessibility to the stage area, which has also been freshly painted and resealed.

Upgrades have also been made to the building’s power and roof, as the venue prepares to host a range of shows and functions in the space in 2022, including the stand-up comedy of Ross Noble and a concert from musician Paul Kelly.

City of Ballarat mayor Cr Daniel Moloney said a 2019/2020 budget commitment was made to the project which now means the facility can cater to more diverse bookings.

“The commercial kitchen adds to the appeal of the venue to now host larger gala dinners, wedding receptions and more, while the stage upgrades will provide a great supporting venue to Her Majesty’s already busy annual calendar,” he said.

“Ballarat needs this indoor space that is scalable, but has options for mid-to-large events over winter, so it’s particularly popular for the local market.

“It’s a really good flexible venue that can be used for so many different things, from a more intimate concert to a comedy show, to a larger event, and the more people you get in here, the better the acoustics.”

Cr Moloney said the commercial kitchen wasn’t part of the first stage of facility upgrades as opening the main hall was a priority, the budget was limited, and the City was keen on assessing the market’s interest in the venue before making a commitment to further works.

The City is exploring the potential of offering professional meeting areas at the Hall to complement GovHub, while creating an additional revenue stream.