Mayor Geoff Kettle and council general manager Warrick Bennett have floated the idea in case federal funding for the Goulburn Regional Conservatorium option falls through.

“I brought it up in a workshop,” Cr Kettle said.

“It’s only something open for discussion, but I thought, 'Wouldn’t it be nice to have a centre for all these things'.”

Cr Kettle said he was still very much committed to the Conservatorium proposal, but if money was not forthcoming, the council needed to consult with the community about other possibilities.

Mr Bennett admitted the concept was out-of-the-box,  but one worth exploring.

It would involve relocating staff to the Clinton St building, currently leased to Corrective Services. The council recently decided to retain the structure after its failure to sell at auction. The space will be freed up when the Corrective Services lease ends in late 2016.

“It would make a fabulous arts and cultural precinct, also combining the library and art gallery,” Mr Bennett said of the Civic Centre. “We could gut the building and move the Visitors Information Centre (VIC) there as well.”

He argued the library was too small and, as the council’s “most used facility”, needed to be at least doubled in size.

The GM said at this stage he had only informally discussed the idea with councillors. He stressed it was only an option if federal funding didn’t flow.

But councillors have asked him to consult with architects on whether the Civic Centre could be structurally altered, and prepare a report.

“You’ve always got to look at visionary ideas,” Mr Bennett said. “It’s certainly not something we’ve formally considered, but is one of several options.”

If the federal grant is unsuccessful, he expects to complete the report, including costings, for a March or April meeting.

Mr Bennett said the council needed to ensure it was affordable. “That’s very important because we don’t want to leave a legacy of debt,” he said. “We have to talk through a lot of issues.”

But he argued the council should be taking advantage of State Government low interest loans to improve its infrastructure.

He told the Post the community would be consulted in a “robust and adult conversation” before any decisions were made.

Asked whether the council might sell off the VIC or use it for another purpose, Mr Bennett said all of this was yet to be decided.

The council is awaiting the outcome of a round one $1 million National Stronger Regions grant application. It applied for the federal funding earlier this year to supplement council money and possible state government grants.

At that time, the kitty was intended to convert the former ceramics room at the Goulburn Regional Conservatorium into a 350-seat performance space.

The idea hung on a due diligence report, a successful council bid to buy the Con building from the State Government and the grant funding.

The council is still negotiating a price with TAFE for the structure and awaiting the results of the National Stronger Regions application. The latter is due to be announced before Christmas. 

Conservatorium director Paul Scott-Williams declined to comment at this stage on the council’s idea, saying it had not been discussed with him or the board.

Local entertainment promoter and Blues Festival organiser Geoff Bell said a performing arts centre of any size in Goulburn had to be a bonus. “We just need these facilities,” he said. “The fact council is looking at different options is incredibly encouraging because we haven’t had that before.

“One thing this council gets is that we have a big audience on our doorstep in the Southern Highlands that are not catered for. They either have to go to Sydney or Wollongong.”

Goulburn has been trying to secure a performing arts centre since the Lilac Time Hall’s sale in 2000. 

Sale proceeds, plus interest, totalling about $750,000, would be channelled into a new facility.