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Cultural centre and precinct project

Project typeConstruction

Project Details

We are excited to share with you a proposed new vision for Burnie's cultural precinct.

In early 2021, Council announced a change in direction for Burnie’s cultural precinct – where the city’s art gallery and museum would combine with its function centre to create a new cultural space.

This is not just a cosmetic refurbishment of the Burnie Arts & Function Centre, but a new vision and model for culture and creativity in our city.

Key Project Milestones

The Australian Government accepted Council’s business case and approved the $5 million commitment (originally intended for a new North West Museum and Art Gallery building) plus an additional $5 million to be redirected into the re imagined Burnie Cultural Centre project. The Tasmanian Government also pledged $5 million, enabling the majority of the surrounding precinct works to occur in one phase.

To better understand community expectations the architectural designs produced by Xsquared were presented for community consultation. Community members Tich Ferencz and Eleanor Austin joined the Steering Committee as a conduit for community feedback throughout the consultation process. Vos Constructions was awarded the construction contract and have started work on the demolition.

The time frame is shown below with key milestones:

	The Vision - First round of consultation ends 31 July 2021
	Council considered Consultation Feedback and adopted Final Report Workshop and Council Meeting August 2021
	Architectural Concept and Design - appointment of Xsquared Architects January 2022
	Second Round of Community Consultation - Architectural Design October 2022
	Construction Tender and Appointment of Contractor Awarded March 2023
	Construction - Commencement through to Completion Commenced April 2023

The key milestones will be updated as the project progresses.

Construction Updates

21 September 2023

Above Left: preparations for the portrait wall ^ Above Right: painting of slats for balcony face

Above Left: plastering of long room ceiling plaster ^ Above Right: painting of steel beams and ceiling

Above: Main entrance and café works

Above Left: Works on the Main entrance ^ Above Right: Foundations being laid for the Cafe area

Above: Preparations for the Zinc Cladding

14 July 2023

Sisalation has been installed on the external walls in preparation for the zinc cladding. Contractors Klek roofing (who will be installing the zinc cladding) have built themselves an all weather workshop on site.

The Cultural centres Long Room has been stripped of its ceilings and the reception area is framed up and ready for cladding.

Excavations are complete for the Café extension. Culture and Coffee anyone?

The area to be clad with zinc is all wrapped up

Klek Roofing who are installing the zinc cladding have built themselves a workshop on site.

Long Room stripped of ceilings. Reception area framed up on the left.

Excavations complete for the café extension.

23 June 2023

...and down came the staircase !

Scaffolding has also started going up getting ready to take the old cladding down to replace it with Zinc Cladding. It is estimated that it will take 15 weeks to clad the building.

Fun fact - The new Zinc cladding is weatherproof, corrosion resistant, and not degraded by Ultra Violet light. A patina on the surface protects it from moisture. As a result, zinc roofing and cladding has a very long service life, and can in theory last up to 100 years without degradation.

The scaffolding going up - to bring the cladding down

5 May 2023

Demolition is now well under way.

The ceiling tiles we all came to know and love over the last 47 years have been removed (see pictured), and we can now see what was up above that ceiling! The electrician is busy isolating the cables and wiring.

The town hall balcony is also stripped in readiness for a revamp and addition of a wheelchair accessible space.

Demolition will continue over the next few weeks and we will continue to share the progress.