Eden residents will have a chance to tell Bega Valley Shire Council councillors and senior staff what should happen to the Hotel Australasia.
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Council will be at Eden Fishermen’s Recreation Club on Wednesday, September 9, for the meeting about the iconic Imlay Street building.
The meeting, together with the formation of a community group, will be the first steps towards a community submission required by December this year.
Following consideration of the submission, council will meet and determine their position on February 3, 2016.
Mayor, Michael Britten, said Wednesday's meeting would "scope a way ahead" by bringing together the strong community advocates and council.
“Throughout the campaign to save Eden’s Hotel Australasia we have met with and heard from a large number of dedicated community members, each with the same goal of preserving this heritage building," Mayor Britten said.
“We are looking for a committed community group to present an acceptable business model to council for the restoration and funding of the heritage section of the building and to work over a period of time with Council to achieve those objectives, and in due course participate in discussing suitable uses for the restored building.
“This group may be drawn from an existing group of Hotel Australasia advocates who already work closely with Council to express the community’s views, or a broader collection of people who strongly support Eden’s heritage values and potential as a successful tourist destination.
“Community thoughts on potential uses for the site and fundraising ideas will be discussed throughout the meeting, and we hope that the foundations of a strong relationship between a newly formed Hotel Australasia group and council will be the result of the first meeting.
“We know there is strong support in the community for council to acquire the Hotel Australasia and now we want to hear the locals’ views and suggestions for the future of the building and an agreed level of community financial support,” Cr Britten said.
The meeting will involve presentations on the Hotel Australasia’s recent history since its latest purchase, plus information on its heritage values and the potential cost of refurbishment.
The Hotel Australasia session will follow a general community Q&A session at the club from 4pm-5pm.
Meanwhile, Eden resident Robert Whiter has completed a scale model of the old hotel.
"A very small team, including my brother Peter, has been active for two years in trying to save the building," Mr Whiter said.
"I wanted to show my support for their efforts and my pride for Peter in the way they have conducted themselves in the community and with council," he said.
Mr (Robert) Whiter encouraged residents to turn up to Wednesday's public meeting.
He said a lot of ideas had been floated regarding potential uses for the old hotel, including a town hall for Eden.
"Eden has never had a town hall as such," Mr Whiter said.
"It had a School of Arts that also served as a picture theatre but that's about all," he said.
Mr Whiter displayed the model outside IGA this week, where it was greeted with a mixed reaction.
"Some people were over the moon (with the proposal to save the hotel), others expressed the view that they didn't want their rates spent on the building," he said.
Mr Whiter's model is on exhibition at the Eden Magnet.