Groundhog Day for committee after 60-year battle to upgrade Utungun Community Centre Nambucca Valley Nambucca Valley - popup ad Nambucca Valley News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - March 22, 2024 Utungun Community Centre Committee Treasurer Malcolm Dicey, Building Coordinator Steve Sanderson, President Gwen Green and Gary Lee in the partially-renovated Utungun Hall kitchen. RETIRED police officer Gary Lee, who served in the force for 32 years, addressed last week’s Nambucca Valley Council meeting at Utungun, expressing frustration that modern and past bureaucracy has meant that among other things, the community’s tennis court in Utungun has been out of operation since 1995. He spoke of the Utungun hall’s history stretching back to 1909, when locals contributed money to get a government surveyor out to the area. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The land was vested to the Nambucca Valley Council in 1976. According to Mr Lee, in 1916 the hall came into operation for church services and the adjoining reserve had barbecues and a tennis court installed. In 1993 steel fencing was installed around the tennis courts but in 1995 a major windstorm flattened the fence. “Around 2013, Council removed the fencing around the tennis court and the locals thought it was going to be reinstated,” he said. “But it wasn’t! “Local residents from 1970, 80 and 90 have requested assistance with wish lists for the community and it’s quite humorous that each committee over the years has asked the same thing from the Council – for grants to improve the hall and reserve recreation.” The committee would still like to extend the floor plan, build indoor toilets, replace the water tank and make improvements to the reserve area’s entertainment area, including re-installing barbecues and fixing up the tennis court. “Now the youth of our past are our elderly today – and I’m one of them,” an exasperated Mr Lee remarked. “This has been going on for 60 years.” At last, the hall has been given some upgrades, but with more to be done, the hall is fundraising for a new tank, further renovations and more kitchen appliances. “This reminds me of a movie – Groundhog Day!” he told the council. While complaining of these issues, on behalf of the committee and the community, Mr Lee thanked Nambucca Valley Council as the hall is currently mid-way through receiving a new kitchen with Council’s support. This will be the first new kitchen for the Community Centre in 110 years and while stage one appliances will be purchased by Council, the group is still hoping to receive a State Government grant for further appliances. The committee hopes to use the kitchen and renovated hall for catering purposes, with all funds raised going to future plans for the Community Centre’s development. As for the tennis court, with no fencing or netting it is just a lonely slab of cement in the nearby reserve. “We saw a perfectly good tennis court fence online for only $500, so some of us drove out and picked it up. “Now Council rules mean we aren’t allowed to install it ourselves. “But you see we are all farmers and doing fencing work every day,” Mr Lee expressed his frustration to News Of The Area. Currently the group are awaiting quotes from Council-approved contractors to install the fencing but the price is expected to be exorbitant and perhaps prohibitively so. By Ned COWIE Gary Lee stands on the Utungun Community Centre’s tennis court, which has been out of operation for almost 30 years awaiting a new fence.
