It’s time for a Town Hall renewal

Published on 29 June 2018

Maribyrnong City Council voted to investigate how the Footscray Town Hall can be brought up to scratch with disability access compliance and the Building Control Act at the Tuesday 26 June Ordinary Council Meeting.

The 1936 Town Hall was purpose built as municipal offices, court house, post and telegraph offices and connected conveniences. The main building was extended and reconfigured in 1984 and an adjoining Community Wellbeing building was added in 1988.

Maribyrnong Mayor Cr Cuc Lam said Council needed to make the present building compliant with legislation introduced since 1936 and undertake some much needed repairs to maintain the heritage listed Town Hall for years to come.

“This building has stood the test of time, it is a jewel representing 1936 architectural design but it requires upgrades to provide basic service improvements such as updating the electrical distribution boards – these boards need to be compliant with current requirements,” she said.

“Access to the building does not conform to current access codes, the hydrant system requires modification to comply with current standards, there’s asbestos and hazardous materials that need to be removed and we’re experiencing costly power consumption due to the building being at poor standard.

“We’ve voted on a modest upgrade to the building that consolidates staff (about 250) in the main building, addresses the building’s compliance issues and will result in energy savings in the future. It will also enable the original Town Hall building to be configured to provide a range of function and meeting rooms for community use.”

“By reducing our reliance on grid electricity, natural gas demand and harvesting rainwater for non-potable uses the building design will embody and demonstrate Council’s commitment to the environmental,” Cr Lam said.

To have your say about civic facilities, visit Your City, Your Voice. Further information on the Town Hall renewal is available in the meeting's agenda(PDF, 40MB).

Maribyrnong News

Stay up-to-date with the latest news by subscribing to our eNews.