Helensburgh Community Hall

Save Our Hall

The 2508 community has spoken — and the message to Council is loud and clear: we need our hall.

Thank you to the 456 residents who have shared their voices so far!

We've crunched the numbers from our recent survey, and the message to Council is crystal clear: We need our hall.

  • 83% want a "like-for-like" refurbishment or replacement (auditorium + sports court).
  • Only 3% support demolition without a proper replacement.
  • 81% of us feel left out of the Council's decision-making process.

Right now, we're traveling outside the area nearly four times a week just to stay active and social. If we lose this space, 44% of us will stop these activities entirely. We aren't just asking for a building; we're asking for the heart of our community back.

The new Library is great, but it doesn't provide us with indoor sports, performing arts, and all the other activities the hall was once used for.

Qualitative feedback highlighted a specific need for the hall to support playgroups, local school events, youth activities, and affordable spaces for performing arts, martial arts, and indoor sports such as basketball, indoor soccer, and netball.

The new Library and Community Centre is essentially a DOWNGRADE. The sale of the old Library site will also result in us losing essential car parking in the town centre.

The charts below show the survey results for each question.

Question 1

How satisfied are you with Council's plan to demolish the existing Hall and replace it with a facility that lacks a basketball court or performing arts space?

Summary:

  • 83% very dissatisfied with losing court and performing-arts space.
  • 90% combined dissatisfaction (very + somewhat).
  • Only 3% satisfied with Council's current proposal
  • 7% say they weren't properly informed.

Question 2

Which activities do you currently travel outside the 2508 area for?

Summary:

  • Music and social events top the list
  • Aquatic centres, indoor sports, and performing arts each — major reasons people leave 2508.
  • Fitness/classes, community groups, and youth activities still add up to meaningful travel.

Question 4

How often would you use a refurbished or rebuilt Helensburgh Community Hall for these activities?

Summary:

  • 7 in 10 would use a good local hall at least weekly
  • Only 2% say “never”

Question 5

How often would you do these activities if the closest facilities were located in Wollongong?

Summary:

  • 44% would never use distant venues for these activities; 35% monthly or less.
  • Roughly 4 in 5 rarely or never rely on Wollongong-area facilities for this mix.
  • Only ~18% weekly or more — out-of-area options don’t replace local need for most.

Question 6

What is your preference for the future of the existing Community Hall (Auditorium)?

Summary:

  • 54%: keep the hall — refurbish, don’t demolish this community asset.
  • 34%: OK to demolish if the replacement includes auditorium / court in the town centre.
  • Just 2% back Council’s plan for a rebuild with no auditorium or basketball court.

Question 7

How engaged are you with Council's consultation approach regarding plans for 2508 area?

Summary:

  • 58% “somewhat engaged” but often learn details after the fact.
  • 23% not engaged until construction — consultation isn’t reaching them early.
  • Only 14% feel regularly informed before work starts.

Comments

On the future of Helensburgh's community hall and facilities.

“The lack of public performance space in 2508 is having a negative impact on the cultural life of 2508. We have many artists in this area and no reasonably sized public venues.”

“Repair what we have and we can use it . I want a local jujitsu class”

“- play groups would come back - local school and preschool would use this space for events we need more space and cheaper options then the tradies - more indoor sport for the winter would use it”

“If the current building cannot be salvaged the community should receive a like for like facility. Anything else is short changing the whole area.”

“Saving money should be the council's priority along with a community facility that best accommodates what the community needs.”

“I feel that Helensburgh has been ignored by council for years. We have a lack of curb and guttering, state of the footpaths, pool repairs in summer is crazy and the general lack of attention is deplorable. It seems that when anything is undertaken here it is completed in a half hearted manner just to appease us. A great deal more money has been and is being invested in suburbs south. Be honest with the community over the lack of solving the issues in the hall.”

“Save the Helensburgh Community Hall!”

“We need to save our hall we are double the size now from when the hall was built and we have double the population”

“The community hall is historic and needs to stay as part of this community. Refurbish the building, bring back indoor basketball and indoor activities as well as rejuvenating the youth centre.”

“Helensburgh needs an indoor sports facility”

“Helensburgh needs a basketball court to enable children train & have a local competition”

“Do not demolish a facility that can be refurbished (as any property can)”

“Who remembers the miners hall that is gone and never rebuilt? Now the community hall and facilities is under threat. Let's give the kids on ebikes racing through Helensburgh another avenue to unleash energy in a safer environment. There are even more kids in Helensburgh than ever before. Come on council, pull those socks up.”

“I think it is sad to demolish activities in Helensburgh that the community need.”

“Instead of a new library we are getting half of what we once had, that is a Library/Community centre considerably offering less space & facilities then we previously had.”

“Please take into consideration the longevity of your plans for generations to come”

“We have such a beautiful sporting and creative community… This space is vital for a space to cultivate our wonderful Australian cultural activities.”