Town Hall restoration proves “costly”

The restoration of Sydney Town Hall will change the landscape of George St… in no way whatsoever.

Last week, The City of Sydney announced plans to cover the sandstone structure with images of itself during the renovation period. Photographs of the iconic building are being currently being printed on to a custom-made mesh.

The artwork will be installed by abseiling tradesmen and on display by July 16.

The showmanship by the City could succumb to scrutiny however. Council is expected to implement a four year conservation plan. CBD landmarks, such as Town Hall and the clocktower, will be restored, for a total of $33 million. Within that, a massive $360,000 has been budgeted for
the mesh.

But, Council insists the costly artwork is a necessity.

A City of Sydney spokesperson said: “The protective photographic mesh … ensures the safety of pedestrians around the work site by
reducing dust and other debris.” The covering will be created
by the building contractor, Traditional Stonemasonry Company.

But, in a time where the price of electricity and the carbon tax has stretched household budgets, you would be forgiven for asking how Council has come up with the cash.

“This vital restoration project is fully funded through the City’s annual budgets and was unanimously supported by all City of Sydney Councillors,” the City of Sydney spokesperson said.

While acknowledging the work needs to be done, Councillor Shayne Mallard concedes that the City is spending a large sum of money
in a short space of time. “When the plan first came to Council, I argued that we should spread it over a longer period of time. I wanted the restoration to happen over a decade,” he said.

Then, of course, there is the issue of heritage.

Linda Scott, mayoral candidate for ALP said: “[The restoration] is a costly exercise but, I believe, a worthy one. The Town Hall is a beautiful building, and one of Sydney’s few remaining important
heritage sites.”

These sentiments were echoed by the City of Sydney spokesperson: “Sydney Town Hall is one of Australia’s most important civic buildings and its façade is one of the finest examples of intricately carved sandstone with immense heritage value.

“The City of Sydney has a responsibility to ensure this important heritage item is conserved and restored so its beauty can be appreciated for many years to come.”

The restoration of Town Hall is due to be completed in 2017.