UPDATE ON HACKETT HALL

There was an article some of you may have seen in the West Australian on Saturday, 10^th December, with the headline “Playlovers restoration to be costly”.

Although the report says that Playlovers was contacted, the only contact they tried was via Facebook (which is hardly a standard, official communications channel). It appears, however, that they did speak with Greg Trevaskis, the CEO of Nedlands Council.

Greg Trevaskis is quoted as saying “the council worked with Playlovers to settle it into a new venue”. This is blatantly not the case. We do not have a new venue. The council are doing nothing to help us find a new venue, let alone settle us into one.

The structural engineer’s report about Hackett Hall that the council commissioned, and the West Australian obtained, indicates that the hall is “in a dilapidated condition”. Considering that, as part of our lease agreement, the council would come and inspect he hall every six months, it is surprising that the hall could have deteriorated so badly since the last inspection.

Although the council denied us access into the hall, Playlovers has commissioned its own structural engineer’s report – albeit only viewing the building from the outside. This report throws doubt on some of the evidence put forward in the council’s report.

Playlovers is trying to get the West Australian to print a rebuttal article so that we can state our case.
Playlovers’ committee are working overtime on this. We continue to work to secure our future either in Hackett Hall or in a new venue but there is nothing to announce at this stage. We are homeless for the foreseeable future!