COUNCILLORS are divided on what to do with the old TAFE building in William Street, with some thinking that council should consider selling it.
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The suggestion was raised at last week's Bathurst Regional Council meeting during discussion of councillor Monica Morse's notice of motion on the building.
The notice of motion recommended council resolve to "prepare a report with plans and timeline for the development of the former TAFE building in William Street", which it later did.
Cr Morse said it was time to figure out a definitive future for the building, particularly now that people were coming forward with ideas.
"We've had an interest shown by a group of people who would like to have an arts and cultural centre, called the Performing Arts Centre," she said.
"What I've discovered actually is we haven't sat down as a council and said 'Well, what are we going to do'. What is the 'what', and when, and how much?
"There's some options. I think one option is that council carries out the restoration work and it seeks expressions of interest for the use of the building by a community group or by council itself, or indeed by council interests."
The other options, she said, are to call for expressions of interest from developers or to sell the building.
Each option raises questions about cost, both how much and who pays the bill, and what development is possible with the building.
"I would like to see that council support the preparation of a report that addresses those aspects," Cr Morse said.
Cr Alex Christian made it clear that he thought the TAFE building was a burden on council and he wanted to either hand it back to the state government or sell the building to someone else.
"I don't know why council took this on. It's not feasible, it's going to cost so much to do up and it's just not going to happen in the next 50 years. It's a liability," he said.
"It's prime real estate in the CBD and I think it should be sold off to somebody who will give it the love and care that building deserves. It's sitting there at the moment going rotten in the middle of our CBD."
Cr Warren Aubin also thought the building should be sold, but wasn't sure if the agreement with the government would allow that.
An answer couldn't be given on the night, but general manager David Sherley later told the Western Advocate there was nothing to stop council selling the building.
Although, he also indicated that council shouldn't sell it.
"There are no restrictions included in the agreement that would prevent council from selling all or part of the land, and allows council great flexibility in its range of uses," he said.
"However, the land is a key asset in the CBD that includes the TAFE building, the Headmaster's Residence the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum. Council identified the importance of this site and pursued ownership of the land over a number of years as the site, which covers more than 6,000 square metres of prime land in the centre of Bathurst, is a key component of the Bathurst Town Square.
"It is a site that will play a pivotal role in any future revitalisation of the CBD. To date, council has committed approximately $500,000 on restoration works on the Headmaster's Residence, the majority of this has been funded by grants from the state and federal governments.
"Considerable time and money has also been invested in developing the Town Centre Master Plan and the TAFE building Conservation Management Plan."
With councillors torn over what to do with the building, Cr Jacqui Rudge reminded the chamber that the purpose of the notice of motion was to develop a report that would guide a decision.
"We need to look at a viable, or a viable way, of retaining that building and I think we can. I really think we can," she said.
A report will come back to council at a later date.
