Cultural centre and precinct project

  • Project typeConstruction
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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.

This project has been made possible through generous support from the Australian Government, Burnie City Council and the Thyne Reid Foundation.

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Key Project Milestones

The Australian Government accepted Council’s business case and approved a $5 million commitment (originally intended for a new North West Museum and Art Gallery building) to be re-directed in to the re-imagined Burnie Cultural Centre project.  In 2022, post the Federal election of that year, a further commitment of $13 million was made to the project by the new Australian Government with the Burnie Cultural Precinct project included as the only Tasmanian regional cultural infrastructure project identified within the Australian Government's 5-year cultural policy document "Revive".

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:

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

The key milestones will be updated as the project progresses.


Construction Updates

December 2023 

With stage one almost complete - a visit to the Burnie Arts Centre now takes you through part of the new and spectacular Long Room that includes some of the fresh permanent displays featuring ‘Burnie Stories’ drawn from objects and images in our extensive art and museum collections. The Southern entry and the new Café that will complete stage one - will be opening in early 2024!

Preparations on stage two are underway. With plans to reimagine the internal courtyard and establish a glazed roof, the installation of a lift for an all access pass to the Town Hall balcony and completion of the Northern extension – we are set to see all this and more develop in 2024.

And the shows still go on!

The 2024 performing arts program is bigger than ever with so much to see and experience for all ages and interests including contemporary and classical concerts, big band jazz and an opportunity to dress up and learn swing dancing, quality drama, contemporary dance, special shows for children in every school holiday, a new comedy festival and affordable lunchtime concerts.

Add to all this a dash of Johnny Cash, Kevin Bloody Wilson and a Taste of Ireland - there’s no excuse not to make Burnie arts centre a regular destination in 2024!

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New objects on display from "Burnie's Stories 

  
 
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Part of the new spectacular Long Room

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Part of the new spectacular Long Room
 

 

 


Preparations for Stage Two Underway

As we begin works on Stage two of the reimagined Burnie Cultural Centre, we'd like to advise the community that we have closed the walkway between Burnie Arts and Culture Centre and Wilmot Street. 

Please use the alternative path to the Kings Street Carpark and the BAFC on the other side of the road (see map)

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November 2023

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What an entrance! The framing for the new Burnie Arts Centre is taking shape! It presence promises to lead you into a realm of Burnie's past and present, with some exciting and innovative designs inside!


October 2023

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Above Left and Right: Town Hall lights and pully systems getting upgrades 

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Above Left: Town Hall getting new stage upgrades ^ Above Right: New lighting being installed in the Long Room 

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Above: Box office in the new Long Room 

 


September 2023 

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

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

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Above: Main entrance and café works

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

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Above: Preparations for the Zinc Cladding


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?

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The area to be clad with zinc is all wrapped up

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

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

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Excavations complete for the café extension.


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.

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The scaffolding going up - to bring the cladding down

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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.

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Demolition is well under way!

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Gone are the 47 year old ceiling tiles

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Balcony has been stripped in readiness for a revamp

Location

Burnie Arts & Function Centre, 77-79 Wilmot St, Burnie 7320  View Map and directions

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