Community Centre lease available from July

The Batemans Bay Community Centre has been made available for lease from 1 July 2021.

Eurobodalla’s councillors voted to approve the new arrangement for the facility on Tuesday 8 December 2020, after receiving several unsolicited approaches to lease the centre during the year, resulting in a call for expressions of interest (EOI).

The EOI was open only to organisations providing a community rather than a commercial benefit. The EOI process was for a lease, not for the sale of the facility. Lease negotiations will commence with SEARMS, an Aboriginal housing organisation operating in the Eurobodalla since 2003 and chaired by Tom Slockee.

To assist community groups transition to alternative Council-owned venues they will receive free use for six months and a guarantee they will not pay more for a comparable space.

The community centre – hall, training room, meeting room, and consultation room – is hired on a regular basis by 15 community groups, with other occasional and one-off hires. The majority of groups can be accommodated at comparable venues nearby.

Meals on Wheels use the community centre’s kitchen and, with no suitable alternative currently available, their continued access would be part of any lease agreement.

In the meantime everyone entering the centre is required to record their contact details under the Community Halls COVID Safety Plan required by the NSW Government. For the time being, this prevents ‘walk-in’ access, including to the centre’s public toilets.

Groups and individuals wanting to hire Batemans Bay Community Centre facilities can contact Council’s booking office on 4472 3153 or [email protected]