Wollondilly Council gives performing arts centre design seal of approval

Picton is one step closer to having its own live entertainment and concert venue

Wollondilly councillors voted in favour of a concept design for a new performing arts centre at Tuesday's council meeting.

The Performing Arts Centre is a 350-seat multi-format venue to be delivered in stage one of the Wollondilly Community Cultural and Civic Precinct masterplan.

Councillor Matt Deeth said he was excited to see progress on the new venue.

"I'm really excited to see this finally taking shape," he said at the council meeting.

"There has been some commentary that 350 seats is too small but this is a multi-format venue so 350 seats is just one of the formats available.

"It can fit up to 520 people seated for concert and about 320 people for a sit down dinner - it will be the second venue in Wollondilly outside of the Bargo Sports Club capable of holding events of that type."

Councillor Noel Lowry said the hard work of the former general manager and former mayor Judith Hannan had helped the council to reach this point.

"It's great to see this come to fruition," he said.

"I have gotten a big buzz out of this because it is not a burden on ratepayers, it is a big gift to the community."

Cr Hannan said she was also pleased to see the precinct coming together.

"I'd like to remind people that this is not money that can be used on the roads, we are doing the best we can with the roads but these dollars were given to us specifically for this project," she said.

"We cannot use them for anything else."

Wollondilly mayor Robert Khan said last week that the project would be completed using funds from the Western Sydney City Deal Liveability program.

"The new auditorium will deliver modern facilities to meet the needs of our rapidly growing community," he said.

"Arts, cultural and community activities will be able to run within the Wollondilly shire and residents will no longer have to travel outside the area for their entertainment.

"This will be a boost for local business, encouraging users of the venue to spend their entertainment dollars within the area and hopefully visit some of our other attractions.

"Jobs will also be created in the construction phase and once the facility is in use."

The concept design allows for adaptable spaces, supporting a range of different formats and uses.

The main uses for the space will include:

• Dance performances
  
• Theatre performances
  
• Contemporary music performances
  
• Classical music performances
  
• Comedy performances
  
• Small school events
  
• Community events
  
• Dinners, cabaret and catered events
  
• Civic functions and public lectures

Stage one of the $20.1 million Wollondilly Community, Cultural and Civic Precinct is already under way.

It will also include the refurbishment and extension of the Shire Hall, a new children's services and community building, construction of a new car park in Walton Street and the relocation of the Picton Rural Fire Service.

Construction of the Performing Arts Centre is expected to begin by June 2022, with all other elements of stage one expected to be complete by then.

For updates, visit: wollondilly.nsw.gov.au.