Grand old Bondi lady ‘needs a lot of work’

BY CAROLINE WAGNER

She’s seen a lot in her almost 90 years, but of late she hasn’t been that nice to look at. But that’s about to change, under a plan to revitalise the dilapidated Bondi Pavilion.

Waverly Council announced last Friday, 11 December, that it will be restoring the Bondi Surf Pavilion to “its former glory” in a project that is estimated to cost $38 million.

The project aims to not only restore the 1928 building, but also to revitalise it for the local community.

The new design includes a flexible theatre space with retractable seating for 200 patrons, expanded exhibition and community areas, more toilet facilities, and will qualify for a five-star green energy rating.

Mayor Betts said residents would be able to see value for money in the development.

“If we just bring the building up to standard fire rating, it’s going to cost us $9 million, and you wouldn’t see anything different at all,” she said.

“We absolutely love Bondi Pavilion, but we know the grand old lady needs a lot of love and work to restore her to her former beauty.”

Waverley Council has allocated $40 million dollars to the project, and will receive a $1 million heritage funding grant from the federal government.

The plans were designed by Architect Peter Tonkin, whose previous projects include the National Arboretum Canberra and the Hyde Park Barracks Museum.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is also the Federal Member for Wentworth, said he supports the project.

Last week the federal government proposed a lottery to fund heritage listed sites.

Despite past renovations that have affected the pavilion’s heritage status, it could still enjoy money raised by the lottery.

The Bondi Pavilion holds Flickerfest, an Australian international short film festival, each year. There will be an amphitheatre to the building’s west, which will screen films in the festival.

A Waverley Council spokesperson said “the project places arts and culture at the centre of Bondi Pavilion [and is] … full of opportunities for the arts community.”

New features of the design include “restoration of the grand entrance from Campbell Parade … [and] more toilets for everyone … there are more change rooms and more family spaces.”

“We are going to turn this building into a five green star building. That’s pretty hard on a heritage building. Our environmental record … is actually the core of our vision for our area.”

There will be 600 square metres of solar paneling on the building.

City Hub understands that leasees will have to vacate the pavilion before restoration work commences in 2017.

Though most tenants’ leases will expire before construction begins, they will have the chance to renew them upon the project’s completion.

Current tenants have said they are “in the dark” about the project and their futures.

Mayor Betts said that in the case of tenants with longer leases “we will work with them to see what benefits them.”

“The spaces [for tenants] will be better than what they’ve got now … it’s very awkward as a space. We’ll be working with them and all the other tenants.”

A spokesperson said Council will consider the concept designs when they meet on 15 December.

Waverley Council will be seeking community feedback between Friday 18 December until Sunday 14 February 2016 .

Mayor Betts said that is ‘hoping’ that construction will being in April or May next year.

A detailed timeline for construction has not been developed because the project is still in its early stages.