Singing to save Bondi Pavilion
Image: Dancers at the concert on Sunday. Source: supplied.
By CHARLOTTE GRIEVE
On Sunday June 6, hundreds of people gathered for a concert to save the Bondi Pavilion. It was a free event featuring headline acts by Dave Faulkner from the Hoodoo Gurus, Reg Mombassa’s Dog Trumpet and award-winning band Haze Trio.
“Today is a great opportunity for us to showcase the fabulous talent that Bondi has produced. All acts have either learnt through or lived in Bondi,” said Kilty O’Brien, conveyor for Save Bondi Pavilion.
Australian television personality and activist Michael Caton was the MC for the day introducing local acts from the Bondi Dance Company, Tango and Capoeria, of which all run classes in the historic Pavilion Building.
“Under the proposed plans, these groups will lose the space. It’s not a case of moving to another community centre, this is the only centre we’ve got,” said Mrs O’Brien.
The concert was part of the wider Save Bondi Pavilion campaign spearheaded by a community group aiming to stop the privatisation of the heritage-listed building. The group is calling for a “makeover not takeover,” advocating for the restoration of the Bondi Pavilion as a community cultural centre.
“The building has been left to be run down. Everyone in Bondi agrees we need an upgrade, but we don’t need a total takeover and privatisation,” said Mrs O’Brien.
They claim the $38 million plan removes public space and does not respect the heritage of the building. Speaking at the event, Councilor Ingrid Strewe, argued that the Council has failed to conduct a “cultural analysis” of the site.
“What they have done here is use an economic analysis to decide what they should do with your pavilion rather than a cultural analysis. The scales are weighted” she said.
Mrs O’Brien has called the Council’s consultation with the community a “disgrace.” Recent developments have shown that there are two alternate plans that are less expensive and more focused on community needs.
“It’s now on the public record that the architects drew up three plans and she [Sally Betts] only made available to her fellow Councillors one plan. So in consultation with senior staff, she’s decided to keep it secret the other two plans which are in line with what the community want to see in the development of the Pavilion” Mrs O’Brien told City Hub.
Late last month, residents, politicians and union members announced a ‘green ban’ on the site. Speaking at the event, CFMEU State President, Rita Mallia, congratulated the crowd on their efforts and commented on the success of the Green Ban.
“We are very proud to have launched a Green Ban on this building. The development of this ban has showed how powerful the combination of the trade union movement and the community can be” she said.
Also speaking at the event, Greens MP David Shoebridge, stressed the importance of the public benefit in Crown Land developments.
“What we’re on is actually crown land, it’s public land. And we don’t think it should be handed over to the best connected developer” he said.
Mr Schoebridge sees the planned redevelopment of the Bondi Pavilion as being part of larger government plan to monetise Crown land across New South Wales.
“This is just part of a bigger story about efforts from both this state government and the pervious one to basically hunt around, look for any community asset that they think can be sold, privatised, leased or developed and basically allow it to happen” said Mr Shoebridge.
Greens Candidate for Wentworth, Deejay Toborek, told City Hub he remains confident for the future of the community centre. He said opposition to the development is getting stronger.
“Sally Betts wants to create a Customs House for Bondi. It’s not going to happen on our watch. It’s not even just a Greens thing. It’s a Labor issue too and even one of the Liberals has stepped up” Mr Toborek said.
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