New Otford Hall approved, but Pioneer Hall to be demolished

While Wollongong City Council has sounded the death knell for Wollongong CBD’s historic Pioneer Hall, further north the news looks much better for the ageing community hall at Otford.

At Monday night‘s Council meeting, it was decided to replace the Otford Community Centre with a new hall to serve the needs of the local community.

The Council business paper says “community centres like the Otford Community Hall serve as accessible local hubs where residents can connect, participate in activities, and access essential services. The project, which is budgeted at $865,000, involves the demolition of the existing hall and the detailed design and construction of a new community facility. Key features will include a new hall, kitchen, storage areas, all gender accessible amenities, a patio, car parking and landscaping works.”

Meanwhile, Council has signed off on the demolition of Pioneer Hall in MacCabe Park in the city centre, at a cost of $344,000. Its decision not to restore the 1953-built hall, at an estimated cost of about $500,000, has drawn criticism from past users of the facility, including Pete Goodger, formerly of the local music group, The Tornadoes.

On Monday night, the recommendation was to award the Otford demolition/rebuild project to Sydney-based Sullivans Constructions. Council staff identified the project as “a priority community infrastructure project to replace the existing ageing facility”.

“Community centres act as accessible local hubs that foster connection, activities and services, strengthening social cohesion while enhancing community wellbeing and resilience,” the Council report says.

Kawasaki Bridge restoration

Council is in the process of repairing the Kawasaki Bridge in the Wollongong Botanic Garden.

The traditional Japanese bridge was presented to Council in 1993 as a gift from Wollongong’s Japanese sister city, Kawasaki, to mark the fifth anniversary of the relationship.

“The bridge was made from traditional Japanese softwood and this type of timber isn’t able to withstand the high rainfall and humidity that we experience here in Wollongong,” Lord Mayor Tania Brown said.

“A significant portion of the timber on the bridge has rotted and it has become unsafe.”

The delicate removal operation was completed last week and it’s expected to be several months before the restored bridge is returned to the botanic garden by early summer.

The new bridge will be constructed of durable Australian hardwoods, suited to the local climate and the bridge will be painted the same distinctive red.

The cost to restore the bridge is $183,000.