MAYOR Bobby Bourke says councillors, including himself, need to "get off our bum" in making a call about the future of the former TAFE building in the CBD.
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It comes after Charles Sturt University confirmed it would not be reconsidering its decision to abandon plans for a new campus in the city centre.
CSU was reported to have been considering the former TAFE building for the new campus before the coronavirus restrictions wreaked havoc in the university sector.
"We, as councillors, have to move on this a lot quicker than we have," Cr Bourke said of the former TAFE building, which the NSW Government formally handed over to council in 2016
He said it was time he and his fellow councillors "got off our bum and did something".
Cr Bourke said he would like to see decisions made before the postponed Bathurst Regional Council election is held next year.
"We should not be leaving it up to a new lot of councillors to come in and see how they are funding it [the redevelopment of the building so it can be used]," he said.
"Our council has got a lot of experience."
Council and CSU started discussions in September last year on a plan to incorporate a new campus in the Bathurst CBD.
As part of those discussions, council accepted a contribution of $100,000 from CSU towards developing a Town Square Master Plan.
CSU, like many universities, has since been hit hard by the coronavirus restrictions and has been forced to reassess its priorities.
"As announced previously, the University is no longer pursuing investigations into a possible presence in the Bathurst CBD as a result of the University's current financial position," CSU said in a statement to the Western Advocate.
"The University is committed to achieving academic and financial sustainability as part of its Sustainable Futures program and has no plans to reconsider the CBD position.
"The investigations were in their initial phases in consultation with Bathurst Regional Council.
"Charles Sturt University remains absolutely committed to supporting Bathurst Regional Council strategic planning and to the long-term economic, social and cultural development of the Bathurst community."
Cr Bourke said CSU's $100,000 contribution to the Town Square Master Plan would remain, "which will assist council and the community in getting something done quicker there".
He said he was disappointed that CSU was no longer considering a CBD presence, but welcomed the contribution from the university that was already in place.
He said momentum had been created in the discussions with CSU and he didn't want to see that momentum end as council considered the former TAFE building's future.
"I'm for it [the building] to be used now, not later," he said.
Bathurst architect Henry Bialowas has suggested the building should be redeveloped into a performing arts centre for all of regional NSW.
The first step of what he sees as a staged project would be Mitchell Conservatorium moving in to the site.