I understand that the council has other areas where it needs to allocate funds but the cultural significance of this venue must not be overlooked either. This area is rich in talent and it needs to be supported to grow and this venue is perfect with a gorgeous acoustic, lights and sound equipment all there, ready to use, not mention the Steinway concert grand piano. Is there another venue in Byron Shire that can match this?

Last week, with very little know how I put on a variety show to raise funds for a local preschool. This was only made possible by the support of the BBCCA staff doing what a community centre is supposed to do; supporting local talent and supporting community events. We were given a competitive locals rate which included everything and this is important because all those extras that theatres charge for really add up. They supplied front of house staff, a technician and all the equipment we needed, but in addition they helped us from the beginning to plan our marketing and advised us how to get the most out of the opportunity we created. The technician, Juan Salvador needs a special mention. He was a one man production team on the night: setting up the bands, doing sound checks, running back and forth to help move the piano and somehow fitting in lighting effects too. He was frenetic and did the work of several people and this was included in the price! Everyone we dealt with from Becky Buckwell, venue manager to Pete Jackson our duty manager on the night, was helpful and friendly with only one thing in mind and that was to help us put on a good show.

Events like this produce added benefits to local businesses too with extra people using local restaurants and bars as well as exposure for businesses sponsoring events. This should all be considered when the council makes a decision as to whether to continue its support. If they do, they will be not only supporting the BBCCA but also local businesses, talent and institutions which are using the centre and its facilities.