MEREDITH Interpretive Centre, located on the Midlands Highway has been vacant since its last tenant, The BOP Arts co-op, handed back the keys about two months ago.<\/p>\n
The building was an initiative of the Meredith Community Planning Group and constructed in 2014 at a cost of $450,000, funded by the State government and Golden Plains Shire.<\/p>\n
The Shire is now calling for expressions of interest for either a commercial operator or community group to manage the facility.<\/p>\n
Samantha Thompson, Director of BOP Arts describes the Centre as a \u201cfunny little building.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Planning Group chose the name and also researched much of the content included in the $36,000 fit out.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is just a room, albeit a well-lit room with high walls which was a great art gallery space for us,\u201d Ms Thompson said. \u201cCouncil put in a kitchenette in another small room, so we had washing up facilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey didn\u2019t charge us rent, we simply had to pay for our utilities and services.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the co-op\u2019s volunteer numbers dwindling and only using the building once a month, it got to the point where staying on was a waste of the resource, Ms Thompson said.<\/p>\n
The site houses public toilets, well used by people pulling in off the highway, and an outdoor pavilion with picnic tables that is open at all times.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t foresee caf\u00e9 going in there right next to the toilet block,\u201d Ms Thompson said. \u201cIt\u2019s a strange spot next to a paddock, so whoever takes over the lease has to take care of the paddock as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Thompson said she hoped the centre would continue to be used for artistic endeavours.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe it was designed and obtained funding as an information centre, I think originally it was all about the need for a toilet block and the information centre was an add on,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a volunteer space it will be very tough to continue no matter who moves in there.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MEREDITH Interpretive Centre, located on the Midlands Highway has been vacant since its last tenant, The BOP Arts co-op, handed back the keys about two months ago. The building was an initiative of the Meredith Community Planning Group and constructed in 2014 at a cost of $450,000, funded by the State government and Golden Plains […]<\/p>\n