There was unanimous support for council to pursue the possibility of acquiring the hotel from the developer, Rodney Thompson.

Council general manager, Leanne Barnes, has been given the authority to negotiate with Mr Thompson and take an option on the building for six months while further investigations into the work needed, costs, and the amount of community support are undertaken.

The support of all councillors for the investigation followed impassioned presentations from Eden representatives, Peter Whiter and Toni Ward.

Mr Whiter made a public and unreserved offer of 25 hours of his time each week for the entirety of the project which he said might also extend to once interior works started.

Mr Whiter said: “I want to offer you (the councillors) and the community and even those who are unsure, the chance to rise to the possibilities.”

He said he was certain that money could be raised to help with renovations. “There were pledges made in the past and they were gathered in a very short space of time.

“This property will return good money if managed correctly. Our town has a future in tourism.”

Toni Ward spoke about plans already discussed in relation to finances and said: “We will be seeking financial interests in the building through a public meeting and also looking at crowd funding through the internet.”

Ms Ward said that Frankie J Holden and musician, Andy O’Donnell had already agreed to run music events to help fundraise.

“This could be a dream come true for Eden. There are so many possibilities for this site. This is long-awaited and much needed. The heart of this town could be beating again.”

Ms Ward said: “Tourism for us entails not only Mother Nature but also our history. Eden’s history is its future.”

The move to take an option on the building follows a meeting between council staff and the current owner of the site, Mr Thompson, to ascertain whether they were willing to discuss the possibility of council acquiring the site.

On Friday,  June 19, the mayor, general manager and group manager for strategy and business services met with the owner of the site where he indicated that if a suitable price was offered he would be willing to dispose of the site to council.

Council engaged its property valuer to undertake a full commercial valuation of the site.

The report to council stated: “Council recently acquired a property on Chandos Street Eden to facilitate better traffic movements through into the public carpark that borders this site. At the time, it was noted there are no public access points from that carpark onto the main street of Eden. There are currently a number of access points between the carpark and Imlay Street but all are through private land and could be closed off at any time. A benefit to securing this site would be the access it could provide linking the carpark to Imlay Street.

“With the Eden Port development and the expected increase in visitors to Eden, having a significant heritage building in the main street would prove a drawcard to visitors looking for authentic experiences. Visitor related activities could be prioritised in the building to add to the historic feel of the facility.

“The site is of sufficient size that a number of activities could be established showcasing the history and heritage of the Eden township.

“Over the course of the community action focussed on the protection of the site, a number of offers were made by members of the community noting that they would be willing to fund the restoration of the site through donations. A community group also commenced preparation of a business plan for the building.”