Worth waiting for | Winter date for revamped hall's reopening

The hall, which has been mothballed since 2019, will re-open by the end of winter, Moree Plains Shire Council general manager Kelvin Tytherleigh said.

A new venue manager has just been appointed and Council has just approved another $100,000 spend on the hall for event bookings and buying last-minute fixtures to make the venue more comfortable.

At their latest meeting, Moree councillors were told several artistic programs, including the comedy festival and children's show, were already planned for the next 12 months.

Five hundred comfortable and safe chairs, 50 trestle tables, 15 cocktail tables, new linen and signage are among items to be bought with the extra $100,000, Mr Tytherleigh said.

"In addition to capital purchases, this budget variation will provide seed funding for booking acts and advertising hall programming," he said.

"We are very close to being ready for the hall to be re-opened. Original windows have been replaced and inside, we have tried to keep the period look."

Vivien Clyne, previous director of Moree's BAMM, has been appointed as venue manager for the hall.

Part of her budget is $10,000 for bringing artists and tours to the hall.

Mr Tytherleigh said Council held the long-term goal of establishing the facility as a sustainable and active community asset.

"The hall will have its own social media presence and as we start to stage events in the hall, we will build up its presence, encouraging more use," Mr Tytherleigh said.

Moree Memorial Hall is the largest entertainment venue in the town, seating up to 500 people in the auditorium and 250 people in the banquet hall. Stand-up functions at the hall can host 900 people.

Historically, the hall was used for a range of activities, including performances, private functions, school presentation days, conferences, and meetings.

But the venue fell on tough times. The building, its equipment and amenities were in poor condition and it lacked active marketing, relying on ad-hoc hire bookings and external groups to present performing arts activities.

So Council embarked on a revamp which to date has cost $5.229 million.

Upgrades include new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, new staging and rigging infrastructure, improved disability access, refurbished bathroom facilities, improved kitchen facilities and renovating the original floorboards.

The hall was due to be re-opened in May, however, last minute upgrades, including a new electrical transformer to be installed along Wesley Lane, have pushed back the re-opening until winter, Mr Tytherleigh said.