"I'm glad this is moving forward, after so many meetings and years of working on this." Lorrie said late this week. "I'm sure any perceived problems will be resolved and we will finally have that missing piece long needed in an area that is well known for its dynamic arts community both in the past and in the present. This proposal is an opportunity to ensure the future of Arts and Artists are well supported and have a venue dedicated to showcasing and promoting the many mediums local artists work in."
Ros Marsh, past president of the Avalon-Palm Beach Business Chamber, and one of the dynamos behind the Avalon Arts Carnival that was so successful a few years ago, also has been working hard to ensure a viable project comes to fruition. Pittwater Online spoke with Ros late this week and asked for an overview on what community groups within Avalon had been working towards and proposed.
Ros forwarded the following:
The Avalon Preservation Association would like to thank the Mayor, Michael Regan, and all Councillors NBC for considering our petition to allow the community to engage on the proposal for the Creative Art Space North, as an adaptive re use of the unused/underutilised spaces at the Avalon Golf Club House, presented by Ros Marsh at last Tuesday’s Council Meeting.
The Avalon Beach Arts & Cultural Precinct Group and associates have been considering the potential of the adaptive reuse of sections of the Avalon Golf Club House as a creative art space since the areas, related to the now defunct restaurant, were advertised for public tender in 2014.
In 2016, Sue Boaden, a local cultural planner coordinated a team of local experts to conduct a Cultural Mapping Project of Avalon sponsored by APA. This study identified over 600 tangible and intangible cultural assets locally as well as gaps in provision. The Study identified the need for a creative maker/exhibition space to support the local creative community.
The Avalon Golf Club House, contains sections which are a still vacant/underutilised council resource and could be a perfect fit for our vision for a creative home and incubator space for the peninsula community.
We have suggested space concepts that have no impact on the heritage areas of the building, require minimal cost to adapt the existing vacant basement spaces to creative uses, sensitively link the non-heritage area to proposed new build immediately left of the clubhouse with lift inclusion, realise the potential of underutilised existing infrastructure on site, co-exists harmoniously with current golf member/public usage and within budgets similar to proposals for the Avalon Annexe, could realise 366sq m to 510 sq m of additional exhibition/maker spaces for the peninsula community.
Apart from being a building that contains some outstanding heritage features it has magnificent views and substantial space potential to grow into a significant regional art space in the Sydney region.
As well we believe the Creative, Public and Golfing users can co-exist in harmony and that the establishment of the Creative Space will give potential to significantly enhance the amenities for golfers and revenues for maintaining the viability of the golf course.
This should be a space that can adapt and cater to the creative/cultural needs of all ages and abilities in our community.
The location is a gateway to the peninsula sitting on Barrenjoey Rd, 100 m from bus stop , 5 minute walk from Commercial centre and close by Avalon Public School, Barrenjoey High , Maria Regina PS, Bilgola PS, Newport PS, clearly visible to road traffic and sits on the proposed coastal walkway. Location wise we believe it has greater prominence to the wider community and tourist traffic than the Avalon Annexe or Avalon Bowling Club.
Via Bus it is far more accessible to Avalon, Palm Beach, Whale Beach, Newport , Clareville and Bilgola Plateau, servicing a combined population of 26,977 residents, than the Narrabeen and North Curl Curl Creative Spaces.
We have discussed the site with prominent local architects, engineers and builders and considered the least intrusive and most cost effective approach to the adaptation.
This table compares our space concepts with the NBC/Architect Concepts for the 2 suggested locations in the budget and extended versions and demonstrates there is potential to realise a far greater usable community space and a much better value for money proposition for the community.
We believe that the Avalon Golf Club House is the optimum value option for the community for the establishment of the Creative Art Space North.
In the Dunbar Park Plan of Management 2010 the community was vocal in requesting the scout annexe be earmarked as an activity area for youth activities.
Currently the Annexe is heavily booked by a variety of community groups.
In addition the Annexe lies in a high level hazard zone for flooding and a flood event could cause major damage to art works and expense to the administrators.
We feel that spending $1 – 2.1 million plus on the re appropriation of a well-used community space (The Annexe) for an art space and achieving only the addition of a deck, 50 sq m of community maker space, 3 small artist studios and a kiosk is a poor value outcome for the community.
We encourage all the peninsula community to review and comment on the NBC proposals when they are open for public exhibition. We hope the final outcome is an inspiring and exciting asset for the community.
Avalon Golf Club, Proposed Ground
Avalon Golf Club, Proposed Basement Plan
3D PERSPECTIVE
AVALON ANNEXE BUILDING
VIEW LOOKING THROUGH COVERED DECK AREA AND CIVIC STEPS.
A PLACE TO SIT AND ENJOY A COFFEE WHILE LOOKING ACROSS DUNBAR PARK.
CONCEPT PLAN OPTIONS
GOLF CLUB - OPTION 2 EXISTING PLAN
Avalon Golf Club, Existing Ground Plan
Avalon Golf Club, Existing Basement Plan
Avalon Golf Club, Demo Ground Plan - Option 2
Avalon Golf Club, Demo Basement Plan - Option 2
CONCEPT PLAN OPTIONS
GOLF CLUB - OPTION 2 PLAN
Avalon Golf Club, Proposed Ground Plan - Option 2
Avalon Golf Club, Proposed Basement Plan - Option 2
