Helensburgh will be without a community centre for years as Wollongong City Council has announced its decision to demolish the existing building.
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The council will permanently close and demolish the centre amid concerns an ongoing building issue, predominantly relating to water and moisture, will continnue to worsen.
Over the past 10 years, council has undertaken a series of works to investigate and remediate ongoing issues. Damp under the floor has been a major issue which has not been resolved by the installation of fans and vents.
The recent wild weather has not helped and now a significant mould problem exists, too.
An independent hygienist's report from December 2021 showed mould was not just in the hall and had reached into other areas of the centre.
"We know this building is valued by the local community as a meeting and social space,'' Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said.
"However, despite our attempts to address the impacts of persistent water flow under the sub-flood area of the Hall, it continues to be a problem. Given the ongoing weather over the past few months, it is likely the mould is now significantly worse than when the assessment was carried out last year," Cr Bradbery said.
"I look forward to the planning of the replacement Helensburgh Library and Community Centre facility. Council is committed to this project, and it will now be progressed."
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Wollongong City Council general manager Greg Doyle looked to the future.
"It is a difficult decision, but we need to be realistic about this facility and the use of council's limited funds. Right now, we are looking very closely at plans for a combined community centre and library facility for Helensburgh and surrounds that's planned for construction in 2025-2027.
"We are best to save the funds and divert them towards a new state-of-the-art facility that this community wants and deserves,'' Mr Doyle said.
Council has been working with centre users to find alternative locations to meet, most of whom have not been in the building for some time due to the COVID-19 pandemic Public Health Order restrictions on community facilities.
Alternative spaces such as Coalcliff Community Hall, the rooms for hire within Stanwell Park Children's Centre and Darkes Forest Community Hall are in the mix.
The council will arrange for the building to be emptied and preparations made for the mould removal to make the building safe ahead of its demolition.
Once the demolition is complete, the building's footprint will be remediated and turned into a greenspace for the Helensburgh community.
