The Friends of the Albert Hall is a national network for groups and individuals interested in the future of Canberra's historic Albert Hall.
July 28, 2010
Report on the cost of Capital Works
The ACT Auditor-General's recent report into ACT agency expenditure on capital works included references to the refurbishment of the Albert Hall since 2008. The report mentioned delays in completing the refurbishment due to extended community consultation and that the cost of the project had risen by $500,000 over the period.
While the ACTGovernment did extensively consult with the Friends of the Albert Hall during the refurbishment project, this was done through the Albert Hall Capital Works Reference Group on which the Friends were and continue to be represented and the consultation was not the cause of delays. In fact, as the Albert Hall is a Heritage listed property, the Reference Group was careful to institute a refurbishment program that met Heritage objectives.
Among other things this meant that the refurbishment of the roof required the Referece Group to source compatible roof tiles and this could only be done by ordering 20,000 hand made tiles from a supplier in Tasmania. No other major work could commence until the roof work was completed. As the tiles were not received till late 2009, the timetable for the completion of the major works was pushed back from 2008/09 till 2009/10. The roof refurbishment took less than a month after the tiles were received and the other major works were completed before the end of the 2009/10 financial year.
The Report also implied that the $500,000 was a cost over run, when in fact this amount represented a contribution from the Commonwealth Government which was promised during the last Federal election and which was provided to the ACT in the Commonwealth's 2009/10 Budget. As a result of this contribution the refurbishment budget was increased to $3.2m and the scope of works was adjusted accordingly.
February 10, 2010
Celebrate the 82nd Birthday in 2010, March 10
The Friends in conjunction with The National Trust and the ACT Government (ACT Property Group) presents a special event to celebrate the 82nd birthday of the Hall in 2010. As the Hall is going through the renovation programme, here is an opportunity to 'get inside' and see for yourself what has been done and what is still to be done.
A centrepiece of this event is an Expert Panel Session about the Hall and progress, bookended by entertainment.
The Friends is pleased announce that the key speaker on the Expert Panel will be Dr David Dawes, Chief Executive, Department of Land and Property Services who will deliver an address on Albert Hall refurbishment and the Plan of Mangement process. Mr Steven Ryan, Director, ACT Property Group, Department of Land and Property Services and Mr Andy Wilson, Senior Manager, Strategic Project Facilitation, Department of Land and Property Services, will be available to answer questions.
Read all about it: Click here for a fast downloading PDF with all the details
June 23, 2009
Draft Amendment 53 WITHDRAWN
The National Capital Authority has announced the withdrawal of Draft Amendment 53-The Albert Hall Precinct. The Friends has released the following media statement, shown below, or you can link to it here.
Friends of the Albert Hall Inc.
PO Box 9453
DEAKIN ACT 2600
MEDIA RELEASE
Friends of the Albert Hall Inc warmly welcomes the news that the NCA has agreed to withdraw Draft Amendment 53 (DA53).
This is a great outcome for the thousands of people who signed a petition to the Federal Parliament in 2007 calling for DA53’s immediate withdrawal.
The Friends and many other like-minded community groups - including in particular the National Trust of Australia ACT, Walter Burley Griffin Society and Yarralumla Residents’ Association - have campaigned, on behalf of the Canberra community, since 2007 for this result. In this campaign, The Friends has been strongly supported by our members and other supporters, who include many dedicated individuals and community groups concerned about the future of Albert Hall and its Heritage Precinct.
We thank them all for their support and they share in this success.
It is also a great outcome for all Canberra residents for whom Albert Hall is an iconic and much-loved part of Canberra’s history and heritage and, as Canberra’s Town Hall, central to community, cultural and civic life in Canberra for over 80 years.
It is also a welcome outcome for the protection of the Albert Hall’s wider heritage precinct and a precious part of Canberra’s lake side environment.
The Friends welcomes the fact that the NCA has responded to community concerns in this way. We hope this signals the start of a new era for relations between the NCA and the Canberra community, with the NCA being prepared to listen to and hear widely expressed community views.
We also remind the NCA that, should there be any further proposal for planning in the precinct, the community must be regarded as key stakeholders in any such planning, and must be included at the earliest concept stage of any such planning.
The Friends will now be focusing our attention on the ACT Government’s Albert Hall Capital Works Reference Group which is over sighting repairs and maintenance on Albert Hall and the long overdue ACT Government’s Plan of Management for Albert Hall.
22 June 2009
Contact: Dr Lenore Coltheart, Vice President, Friends of the Albert Hall Inc: 0413 300 874
