Butter Factory Project Update

Hi everyone,

It’s great to see that the YourSayNoosa site is alive with conversation about the future of the Butter Factory.

I thought I would give you a quick update as to what Kerri Contini and I have been up to since the public meeting and let you know what we are planning to do next.

Since the meeting on 27^th August we have met a number of groups and individuals and discussed with them their ideas. I have really enjoyed these meetings and must commend everyone who I have spoken to on the quality of their thinking and the time and effort that you have put into your suggestions and submissions.

We have received 14 written submissions. We decided to wait until we had met with everyone and then put up all of the submissions at once so we were not seen to be favouring one group’s ideas over another. The YourSayNoosa site includes an overview of the submissions and copies of each individual submission.

What is starting to emerge is a number of lead options which we will be pursuing over the next few weeks to explore their viability. What was clear through the submissions is that, while there are many worthwhile ideas and much passion surrounding the Butter Factory, there are very few people or organisations wanting to take an administrative role.

Concept 1

A single group would take a lease over the Butter Factory: predominantly using it for its own activities and where possible allowing other groups to use the space when it is not using it for its own purposes. U3A Noosa has submitted a proposal which falls into this category. U3A Noosa, a long established organisation with approximately 500 members, is proposing to use the building to establish a Cooroy sub-branch to run U3A programs and facilitating existing activities and other group’s use of the building outside of its class times.

Concept 2

The Lower Mill Board, which is an incorporated community based organisation, with a long history of involvement on the site, would take a lease over the building and take responsibility for administration of the Butter Factory and programming activities in the building in partnership with other groups. This would enable continuation of current visual arts and pottery aspects as well as expand the use of the building to incorporate a number of the ideas which have come through the submissions but where there is not an organisation that wants to undertake responsibility for the governance of the building.

Concept 3

This concept has been proposed by the Noosa Museum where the Butter Factory and the broader precinct would become an interpretative centre for the Biosphere. It would extend the existing arts components by adding new segments of nature, indigenous and heritage tourism through technology and collection based exhibits. This option would require the support of the new Biosphere organisation.

Concept 4

A Ceramic Centre of Excellence would be established. This idea would see an expansion of current activities at the Pottery shed to include master classes and ultimately classes offering diplomas and degrees in ceramics. This option could develop slowly over time and requires further work to establish the Centre and see if there is a University or Registered Training Organisation prepared to enter into a partnership with the Centre. So at this stage the Centre for Ceramic Excellence is unlikely to be viable in the short to medium term.

Concept 5

Finally some people, but by no means a majority, would like to see Council continue to manage and program the Butter Factory albeit with much greater community involvement.

NEXT STEPS

There are still ideas coming forward and we are considering each of these.

Our task over the next few weeks is to examine each submission in further detail, further explore the lead options, particularly seeing if it is possible to combine some of the ideas, and examine the viability of each one. We will be utilizing the skills and expertise of our external consultant, Ellen Vasiliauskas, to assist with this part of the process.

We will be holding a public forum on Tuesday 25^th November to provide an update on the progress of the project and an overview of the lead concepts. We will also continue to provide the community with more information about the concepts through the YourSayNoosa site.

At this stage we are considering that a new management model could be in place from July 1, 2015 so we are developing a program schedule through to June 2015.

Please keep your ideas flowing and we would welcome any feedback that you have on this update or individual submissions.

Ciao,

Fox

Alan (Fox) Rogers

Director Community Services