Future for Busselton art centre uncertain due to cost blowout

The future of Busselton Performing Arts and Convention Centre hangs in the balance as tenders for construction exceed the allocated budget by more than 50 per cent. The City of Busselton advertised the jointly funded $24.5 million arts project earlier this year; however all tenders came back over budget with the lowest priced tender topping the already expensive project by $13 million. The huge price hike for the performing arts centre has now put the project at risk of being shelved with council set to make a decision on the tender at Wednesday’s council meeting. The key recommendation is to decline all tenders and review design options of the centre; however, other options for councillors include a community survey for design review, continuing to seek funding or scrapping the project as a whole. Mayor Grant Henley said the huge cost hike was not unique to Busselton, with local governments across the State experiencing similar tender issues. “It was a shock certainly how much the prices had escalated but when you look across the board it’s not something you couldn’t anticipate,” he said. “There is the risk of the project being shelved of course, we’re always looking at that with any project which comes in over the budget. “But we have to weigh that up with the significant amount of Federal funding we’ve received towards the project and whether in five years time there will be a groundswell of demand to build it and at that time that Federal funding may not be available and State funding may not be available. “We’ve been missing this kind of space in the community for 20 years and some of our kids are having to go to Bunbury for things like graduations, eisteddfods, dance recitals, so we know it’s needed. How we get there is the question.” The Federal Government has injected $10.35 million into the project and has set a deadline for completion by June 2023. If the project is scrapped the City will have to return the Federal funding. Bay to Bay Action Group wants the City to scrap the plan. President Anne Ryan Ms Ryan said the group felt the cost blow-out was due to the council being focused on what visitors wanted rather than the community. “We’d like to see the project shelved and truly go back to community consultation for what the community wants, not what council think we need,” she said.