TUESDAY's decision to take a deep breath on a performing arts venue is a welcome interlude.
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As we wrote here on Monday, councillors had far too little information to make an informed decision.
The McDermott Centre was one out-of-the-box, worthy of investigation, but lacking in detail.
Pressing pause to gather all the facts won't hurt one iota. Councillors have acted prudently in not buckling to a grant funding deadline.
Performance spaces have very specific requirements, as Lieder Theatre director Chrisjohn Hancock said.
Acoustics, stage type and all users' needs have to be considered. Even electrical wiring is highly specialised in the world of theatre.
Further, it's not a job for just any architect. On this score, general manager Warwick Bennett's suggestion to invite just four architects to design a space would have been too limiting.
More concerningly, there was no recent meaningful consultation with potential users.
Yes, there has been in the past, but not on this venue.
As today's story details, several key people have been left out of the loop and were surprised by the suggestion.
After 16 years without a performing arts space in Goulburn, many just want the council to act.
But there is too much at stake to act rashly. The building's heritage, multiple interest groups and the current McDermott Centre tenants must be considered.
We agree with Mayor Geoff Kettle that "hastening slowly" is the best bet.
If it's a go-er then we're confident federal funds will still flow.
On yer bike
POLLIES will be barrelling into Goulburn tomorrow with nary a sniff of pork about them (except for the welcome barbecue sausages).
The only policy they'll be peddling will be one of funding for Carers Australia in the closing stages of an eight-day cycling tour of country NSW.
We are so happy to see our federal representatives walk it like they talk it; or in this case, fork it like they talk it (yes, obvious bike pun).
Partisan divisions, even intra-party factions, mean we may never agree on how things should be beneath our radiant Southern Cross.
But something we can all agree on is that we expect our civic leaders to actually lead us, and to lead by example; to be exemplary.
Not many of us could saddle up and set out on a thousand-kay ride around this great state, as picturesque as it may be.
But the cause is a good one, and we trust Carers Australia (the peak body, eponymously named) will soon see the benefits of this largesse.
It's a shame the Greengrocer cafe, once a cyclists' destination, now lamentably lost in a horrible fire, will not be around to be part of it.
But we're sure there are many Goulburnites, within and without the cycling fraternity, who'll get down to Belmore Park at 3.30pm to say hi.