A place for the people

DERELICT for 16 years and threatened with demolition, the newly revamped Ballarat Civic Hall was officially re-opened on Friday 1 March.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Samantha McIntosh was joined by Deputy Mayor Jim Rinaldi and Councillor Daniel Moloney for the ribbon cutting ceremony after a welcome to county by Norm Stanley and Nikki McKenzie.

“The building stands strongly and will stand strongly in the future,” Cr McIntosh said.

“Today is a very special day, after many late nights at the town hall we are finally here to see this beautiful building, Civic Hall, re-opened. After a hiatus of over 16 years, marks the beginning of the new era that we are all here to celebrate.”

Cr McIntosh and Cr Rinaldi unveiled the plaque in the foyer of the building next to the Coat of Arms painting that originally hung in the hall and rescued, restored and presented to council by the Save Civic Hall group.

Members of the public were invited to spend time wandering around to get an up close and personal view of the refurbished space in all its glory.

Ballarat resident Trudy Dickinson who moved to the city in 1967 said, “I remember the balls held here in the late 60s and early 70s, but it was never as beautiful as this.”

John Conaughton, whose family has been in Ballarat since the gold rush said, “My father had an office in the original Haymarket which stood here before the hall was built in the 50s.”

Chris Matheson, Ballarat born and bred, sitting in the same seat he sat in at a Split Enz concert in 1980, said “It was dark in dingy in those days, it had really been let go by then.”

Juliana Addison, Member for Wendouree said “This is all about the revival of Ballarat, we are seeing Ballarat transformed and to be able to hold onto our heritage with this building and then have the amazing modern building of Gov Hub, is going to be great for business and great for the community and so important as Ballarat continues to grow.”