burrinja agm.....vcat

Last week saw a new committee of management elected for Burrinja, most of which are familiar faces and it was great to be amongst them again. I’ve been a long time supporter of Burrinja and the development of a community cultural centre which includes the construction of a 400 seat auditorium, backstage facilities, improved foyer and staff amenities.















When Burrinja’s planning application came before council I seconded the motion to support the application. There is no doubt that over the years the possibility of this project has waxed and waned. There has been considerable angst about the sell off of the site, securing council funding, securing state funding, securing, losing then re-securing federal funding. All very significant hurdles our community has had to negotiate in order to see their aspirations delivered.

There is yet another hurdle for our community to manoeuvre as the Burrinja application has been taken to VCAT. The hearing is this Wednesday 19th November and I’ll be there to support the application. VCAT hearings are open to the public, if you’d like to go along the address is 55 King Street, Melbourne.
















Burrinja is a key cultural facility much beloved by our community. It has been a long battle to keep the site, but not only just to keep it, but use it to link community and the arts. Burrinja reaches out to the disadvantaged in our community, to those on the fringe and connects community through the arts.

I don’t want our kids to travel off the mountain to go to cultural events, I don’t want our Mums and Dads to travel off the mountain to go to cultural events. It’s a vibrant arts centre that supports local artists and arts in the local community.

Congratulations to those elected to the committee of management for 2008/09, I look forward to continuing our excellent relationship.
President: Paul O’Halloran
Vice President: Jenny Saulwick
Treasurer: Sue Amico
Secretary: Sid Lawrence
Burrinja Art Foundation: Louis Delecretaz
General members:
Rachel Burke
Elizabeth Conolly
Keiran Dennis
Stax
Tony Pagone