Council hear submissions for budget

PEOPLE from across the shire have presented their submissions for funding to the Surf Coast Shire council via Zoom.

The council received 95 submissions to their draft budget, with 26 of these submitters requesting to give presentations at the hearing of submissions committee on June 2.

Of the 95 submissions, nearly half (45) concerned funding for the Multidisciplinary Arts Collective (MAC), and 15 opposed an intersection upgrade project at the intersection of Surf Coast Highway and Coombes Road.

The MAC is a group of residents looking at converting the Surf Coast Sports and Recreation Centre into a dedicated arts facility.

They are applying for $60,000 of funding for materials and equipment to help set up the facility. This will include lighting equipment, seating, moveable walls and paint.

Sally Groom spoke as a representative of the MAC at the hearing, saying turning the recreation centre into an arts facility would fill a vacancy in the community.

“The prolific creative community in the Surf Coast region has been crying out for many years for a venue for musicians, artists, writers and performers to showcase their work.

“The space the MAC is proposing could provide a much-needed hub for artists and audiences.”

She said the arts were presently in great need of support.

“The added financial stressors due to the COVID-19 lockdown on arts practitioners means there is an urgent imperative to support our arts industry in recovery.

“The arts will also play an important role in the general community in a difficult period to come by providing a vital sense of connection, belonging and even solace.”

MAC has already secured contributions from various groups

Ms Groom said with support from the council MAC could, therefore, be “presenting performances and exhibitions to our enthusiastic local arts audiences by the early parts of 2021.”

The draft budget allocated $2.21 million to the improvement of the Surf Coast Highway and Coombes Road intersection. This would see traffic lights installed and the intersection altered.

At the hearing, The Quay Residents Association’s John De Witt spoke of the local concern about the project.

“Many residents are against premature opening of the intersection, without Inshore Drive’s concurrent completion and opening.”

Mr De Witt said Quay 2 residents were already concerned about the high levels of traffic on their streets.

Surf Coast Basketball association, Lorne Historical Society, 1st Torquay Scouts and Moriac Community Network were among the other groups to present their submissions.

The updated budget document will be released on Friday, June 19, as part of the agenda for the June 23 council meeting.