May 12, 2021
A dangerous, asbestos-lined hall at Tingoora could be demolished … but only if the majority of Tingoora’s residents agree.
The reason is the hall sits on two blocks of land – one owned by the South Burnett Regional Council (SBRC), the other by a now-defunct trust – and the site cannot be cleared until both the SBRC and the trust agree.
The vexed issue of the hall and its unusual ownership structure was discussed at the SBRC’s standing committee meeting on Wednesday.
Councillors were told Tingoora Hall has not been used for many years and had gradually become so dilapidated security fencing had to be erected around it to preserve public safety.
Council had decided to write the hall off its asset register almost a decade ago and had no plans to replace it.
However, the site’s arcane ownership structure meant all previous Councils deferred taking any action on its removal.
Properties Manager Leanne Petersen told Wednesday’s meeting Council officers had recently taken legal advice about the issue.
They were told Council would need to call a public meeting of Tingoora residents as a first step.
Under the terms of the trust, an invitation to attend the public meeting would have to be sent to all residents who lived within a three-mile radius of the town centre.
If that meeting then voted to re-form the trust committee, it would need to elect six Tingoora residents to that committee.
Those six members could then pass a vote allowing the hall to be removed or demolished and the block of land it owned to be put on the market.
Ms Petersen said under the terms of the trust, any proceeds from any sale of the trust’s land had to be spent on community projects in Tingoora.
She suggested there were several worthwhile projects where the money could be used, for example, to upgrade the town’s ageing tennis courts,but the future of the hall and the disposal of any sale proceeds was ultimately up to the Tingoora community.
However, Ms Petersen said because of the unusual nature of the land’s ownership, Council needed extra legal advice on what might be entailed in effecting a sale.
In the end, Councillors voted to defer a final decision until September.
This will allow staff time to obtain more advice and bring a final report detailing all options, including the sale of the hall to a third party, back to a standing committee meeting.
There must be a lot of South Burnett people who have fond memories over the past decades of the Tingoora Hall. But the present locals must decide its future.
Remove the asbestos and refurbish it. Maybe the school could use it. But if the land was to be sold we would like a chance to purchase it first as it is directly in front of our home – Barry and Kelli Stolzenberg, owners of the Mill House
Nostalgia can’t save the Tinnie Hall – time has passed her by.
Along with others, I well remember the Saturday night dances alternating between Wooroolin and Tingoora. The balls, birthday parties, card nights and the other important uses a community hall had back then. But no more. We now have clubs, pubs and other licenced venues which fulfil our social needs.
To refurbish the Hall to community and code expectations would be expensive and I ask the question: for what purpose or reason?
I am afraid it is time – once the legal requirements are met – for demolition and sale of the land. People of my age will retain the memories.
To demolish this hall would be very costly with the asbestos, probably more than the land value
Would like to know if the War Service Board is in the Tingoora Hall. If so it needs to either go in Wooroolin Town Hall or Wondai RSL.
Robyn – the best person to ask about the War Service Board is probably the SBRC’s Property Manager Leanne Petersen.
Do we really need to keep an old, derelict building to hang on to our memories of the good old days? And make the whole community share the cost for doing so? Memories should be vivid in one’s head and not depend on a physical object to remind us of good times we had in our youth. Ok for a small trinket to be kept – but a whole building??!!