Over the past year, the Shire of Dandaragan have been working with heritage consultant Laura Grey and the community regarding the future of the Jurien Hall.
The Shire’s Municipal Inventory of Heritage Places identifies the building as a Category 3 item which is a place of some cultural heritage significance to the Shire of Dandaragan. Under Category 3, the Shire is encouraged to retain the building or document the place if retention is not possible.
In late 2021, the Shire began a multi-faceted community consultation approach to better understand the community’s heritage values of the hall and to gain insight into a range of proposed options about retention or disposal of the building. This began with a community survey. After reviewing the community’s survey feedback and with advice from the heritage consultant, 5 options were developed and presented at a recent community meeting to gauge the public’s sentiment related to the options – the options related to the Hall’s future ranging from demolition of the Hall to a complete refurbishment or redevelopment.
One of the options included the presentation of a proposal from the Jurien Bay RSL Sub-Branch to redevelop the site with a new building for the purposes of an RSL facility that would include a military museum, function hall, meeting rooms, offices and kitchen.
Council is now at a key decision-making stage and has prepared the following draft position for public feedback prior to finalising a decision on the building’s future, including the proposed redevelopment.
The draft position for the future of the Jurien Hall is as follows:
- The Shire will authorise the demolition of the Jurien Hall which will be replaced by a new building constructed by the Returned & Services League of Australia WA Branch Incorporated – Jurien Bay Sub-Branch (RSL).
- The lease for the site to the (RSL) will contain conditions that require:
- The Shire to contribute $60,000 towards the demolition and site preparation works subject to the salvaging of the timber flooring and structurally viable timbers from the building.
- The new RSL building is to feature the use of a significant quantity of the salvaged flooring and timbers to the satisfaction of the Shire of Dandaragan.
- All remaining flooring and structural timbers will be returned to the Shire of Dandaragan.
- The RSL is to design, install and maintain a suitable memorial plaque and foundation featuring an image and acknowledgement of the Jurien Town Hall within the leased area to the satisfaction of the Shire of Dandaragan.
- Prior to the demolition of the site the following activities are to be undertaken:
- A digital video and photographic capture of the site.
- A request for community members to supply copies of past photos of events at the Town Hall for interpretative projects and historical retention.
Feedback and comments on the draft position statement are now invited and the public comment period will close at 5pm Friday 28 October 2022. Please address all comments and feedback to the CEO via email at council@dandaragan.wa.gov.au, or by mail to PO Box 676, Jurien Bay 6516.
Result
At a Special Council Meeting on Monday 14 November 2022, a unanimous decision was made by Council to authorise the demolition of the Jurien Hall to allow for the redevelopment of the site, which will be the new home for the local Returned & Services League of Australia Sub-Branch (RSL).
The decision was made after a range of consultation activities undertaken with the community on this project. The Shire has sourced information from
interviews and a survey, a community workshop, an open day at the Jurien Hall, an advertised draft position statement and through the utilisation of a heritage expert to guide the review process.
Council also authorised the Chief Executive Officer to negotiate the lease for the Jurien Town Hall site to the RSL. The new RSL building will be funded by sources already obtained by the RSL with a contribution of $60,000 from the Shire towards demolition and site preparation expenses. Council also expects that subject to it being safe to do so, salvaged timber materials will be featured in the new building as a way of carrying forward some of the history of the hall into the redeveloped site.
The Jurien Town Hall was constructed in 1971 and has catered for community events and activities over the past five decades which has embedded fond memories and nostalgia for many local residents, however the functional use, structural integrity (including that of the asbestos material) and aesthetic state of the facility has declined considerably over the years. In March 2021, the Shire Council endorsed a recommendation to close the facility due to safety reasons, while a heritage review was undertaken which informed a decision on the building’s future.
Prior to the demolition of the hall, a digital video and photographic capture of the site and a request for community members to supply copies of past photos of events at the Jurien Town Hall for retention will be undertaken to mark the historical role and nostalgic place that the hall has had for the local community.
For more information, including information about the new building and its interaction with the surrounding reserve, see the Minute Extract below.
Minute Extract - Item 5.1.2 Jurien Town Hall Consideration of Public Consultation