Detailed design underway for Bega Showground Community and Evacuation Centre

The Bega Showground Community and Evacuation Centre has been funded through the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Package.

The project has recently completed its master planning exercise and has now progressed from the concept design stage through to design development.

The stage involves having the professional consultant team provide detailed design advice and documentation prior to progressing to the development application and tender period.

READ ALSO: Construction of the Bega Showground Community Centre greenlit

In accordance with NSW Procurement Guidelines, the next step was to undertake an initial EOI process to establish a list of suitably qualified and interested head contractors.

Once the assessment of the EOI was complete, tender package would be released for pricing.

Community consultation was undertaken during the Bega Show where the concept design was on display for comment.

Project director David Ledsam from South Coast project management consultancy service Ledsam Project Services said the project received a lot of positive feedback on concept design following consultation.

"We will look to incorporate the feedback where possible during design development," he said.

Part of the community feedback focused on the design of the new building and how it integrated with the existing heritage listed pavilion.

The design team consulted with the BVSC's heritage advisor, and were advised the new building needed to consider the impression on the main pavilion.

The pavilion is a building of exceptional significance historically, architecturally, and socially, and has always been a prominent element in the showground landscape.

"The design team is dedicated to making sure the new building is of appropriate scale and design and are looking to include heritage elements in the innovative design without replicating the existing pavilion," said Mr Ledsam.

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The project was part way through undertaking its due diligence requirements for the project.

This process involves reviewing the environmental impacts, consulting with the local Indigenous land council, and obtaining Crown Lands' consent for the proposal.

For over 150 years the major tenant of the showground has been the Bega Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Society.

Bega Showground land managers John Hamilton, Charlie Bell, and Phil Moffitt said the proposed community centre had been designed to provide the Bega Valley community with a modern, accessible, and safe evacuation centre.

During the Tathra fires of 2018 and the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, the Bega Showground was the primary evacuation centre, but was found to be inadequate and outdated in coping with the number of evacuees and the duration of their stay.

The new facilities have aimed to provide modern administration and exhibit facilities for the show, while also allowing the society to host other events during the year

Other community groups who have and would continue to access the facilities include the Bega Chamber of Commerce, Bega Rotary, and Can Assist.

The land managers hoped the modern function rooms would encourage new or bigger events.

"The local Indigenous community also uses the facilities, and we are currently in discussion on how this access may be expanded into the future," they said.

After the design has progressed to the next stage of design development, further community consultation would be sought to gain feedback from on the proposed design.

Once the design is fully developed, the development application will be submitted to Council for review and approval.

The community would then have an opportunity to provide feedback as part of the notification process during the development application stage.

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