Council Minutes - 27 October 2009 - City of Greater Geelong

Greater Geelong City Council 27 October 2009
Minutes of Ordinary Meeting
SECTION B - REPORTS Page 14
3. GEELONG FUTURE CITIES – GEELONG LIBRARY & HERITAGE CENTRE
Portfolio:
Source:
General Manager:
Index Reference:
Arts and Culture - Cr Abley
Heritage - Cr Granger
Community Services – Arts & Culture
Irene McGinnigle
Subject: Arts & Culture/Geelong Heritage
Centre/Geelong Regional Library Corporation
Summary
• The purpose of this report is to update Council on the status of the business case
process for the proposed integrated Geelong Library & Heritage Centre, part of the
Geelong Future Cities project;
• On 30 th October 2006 the Minister for Major Projects announced a $500,000 jointly
funded Masterplan project between the State Government and the City of Greater
Geelong, to investigate a number of potential cultural, arts and commercial
projects for the City;
• The project objectives were to develop a long term staged, comprehensive Cultural
Precinct Masterplan to secure the consolidation, further development and
expansion of the Precinct including the identification of viable projects for
preparation of a business case;
• The Masterplan Vision is: “to create a cultural precinct that enlivens the cultural life
of the people of Greater Geelong and its visitors, that is widely regarded as a
quality destination providing a high level of cultural offerings through a range of
exciting, inclusive and engaging activities, events and facilities”;
• The Geelong Cultural Precinct Summary Report completed in August 2007 states
a new and greatly expanded central Library on its current site has the potential to
be the primary magnet drawing the widest audience – citizens from all walks of life,
all ages and all socio-economic groups;
• The Cultural Precinct currently receives close to half a million users and visitors
each year of which the Library attracts approximately half. The implementation of
the Masterplan is expected to significantly increase this number with an integrated
Library and Heritage Centre expected to attract 500,000 visits per annum;
• In December 2007 the State Government endorsed the Masterplan, now titled
Geelong Future Cities, and allocated funding of $7.86M for the implementation of
Stage One;
• Stage One consists of a major upgrade of the Old Courthouse Building and
detailed planning work and business case development for a new integrated
Geelong Library & Heritage Centre (GLHC) and the redevelopment of the Geelong
Performing Arts Centre (GPAC);
• The State Government’s Major Projects Victoria is managing the development of
business cases for the GLHC and GPAC on behalf of Regional Development
Victoria; a Project Control Group (PCG) has been established for each project;
• The Steering Committee established in March 2007 is overseeing the project;