Run down Jurien Hall future up in the air as Dandaragan Shire seeks community feedback

Jurien Bay residents have until November 26 to have their say on the future of Jurien Hall after the community building was temporarily closed because of its ageing infrastructure.

The Shire of Dandaragan Council unanimously voted to shut down the hall, above, in March after an inspection report identified issues with the circa 1971 building.

Repairs were estimated at a minimum of $150,000, with $30,000 budgeted for asbestos removal.

But Shire president Leslee Holmes said the final repair bill was likely to be larger than that.

“It’s in terrible condition,” she told The Midwest Times.

“Everything is in a bad state; there’s bees in the walls.

“It needs a complete rebuild, really, with the asbestos.”

No one has used the hall since the Jurien Bay Youth Group stopped operating last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Up until March, two community groups used toilets attached to the building.

Shire staff were also approached by the Jurien Bay RSL to temporarily use the hall while it waited to move into new club premises within Memorial park.

Ms Holmes said council wanted to know what the public would use the hall for if money was spent on a redevelopment.

“You’ve got to balance what the town needs,” she said.

“You’ve got to look at how much it’s going to cost, how many people actually want it.”

The Shire has also engaged a consultant to conduct a heritage review of the site.

A meeting place for many generations, Ms Holmes said community activities had gravitated towards more modern venues.

“It’s up to the ratepayers to have their say,” she said.

“It’s a democracy, so if people really want it and they want the repair bill coming out of their rates then we will do it.”