Council takes back Progress Hall

Gosford Council has taken back the Ettalong Progress Hall after the Ettalong Progress Association ceased operations late last year.

Council's director of community services and organisation development Mr Terry Thirlwell said the association informed council it was no longer operational and wished to relinquish management of the building in December last year.

"The caretaker of the building made arrangements to finalise activities at the hall in December and the keys were handed back to council on January 8," Mr Thirlwell said.

"Under council's community buildings policy, when a community group hands a building back to council, the building needs to be assessed for maintenance issues, structural integrity and operational viability.

"If the building is to be retained as a community facility, it is to be offered under an open expression of interest process to appropriately incorporated community groups."

Mr Thirlwell said council's community facilities development officer advised the hall caretaker of the process and provided them with advice and information regarding alternate venues for current hall users.

"The community facilities development officer also responded to a number of enquiries from hall users, providing this information," Mr Thirlwell said.

"In addition, contact was made with other council venues in order to identify any capacity they had to assist and to streamline access for hall users."

Email, 22 Jan 2010 Terry Thirlwell, Gosford Council