by Emma Ballingall
Warragul Exhibition Hall will be demolished after a Baw Baw Shire councillor declared the multi-million dollar repair bill "a diabolical waste" of ratepayer funds.

Councillors differed in opinions on how best to tackle structural damage at the Howitt St hall, eventually voting six-three to permanently close and demolish it.
Addressing Wednesday's council's meeting, resident Roy Lindsay said he believed the officer report was skewed to one conclusion and the repair costs "appears excessive."
Labelling it "a bit of an icon in Warragul", Mr Lindsay warned "once it's gone, it's gone forever".
Built in the 1950s, Warragul Exhibition Hall was suddenly closed in mid-December after being deemed a public safety risk, with temporary fencing and bracing installed.
An officer report said structural issues came to light in late 2023, with the building's southwest corner walls found to be leaning 22mm to 44mm out of alignment. A year later, after removal of trees, more severe brick cracking was found and alignment had deteriorated to 79mm.
It was estimated council would need to invest $2 million to $2.6 million in the community asset.
The price tag included critical structural works - cracked and leaning walls, drainage issues and ceiling replacement - and upgrade works to modernise the facility including kitchen refurbishment, new appliances, external doors and windows, and toilet and foyer flooring.
Officers stated council had invested $217,200 on hall facilities in the past eight years, the annual operating cost was about $12,000 and bookings had decreased.
Initially used for poultry exhibitions and affectionately known as "The Chook Shed", the hall was refurbished into a 300-seat venue and was in high demand during the 1970s and 1980s.
Hosting concerts, debutante balls, discos, art shows, book fairs and agricultural show activities, the hall had been the home of the Warragul Playgroup since the 1980s. They group has since announced a new permanent home in Drouin, next to Oak St Kindergarten.
The report said reduced usage of the hall in recent years was due to other modern venues and changing community needs but it "remains a valued community asset."
No costings were provided for demolition or how council could utilise the site in future.
Supporting the officer recommendation, councillors voted to permanently close and the hall and budget to demolish it and repatriate the site in the 2025/26 financial year.
Cr Adam Sheehan said the once valued community asset was no longer safe or viable.
He said it was outdated, poorly located, lacked parking and "we are in changing times."
Cr Sheehan believed spending up to $2.6 million of ratepayers' money to save a building no longer comparable with other offerings would be "a diabolical waste" and only add to the long and growing list of buildings sitting "empty, unused and in continual decline and disrepair."
"The cost to demolish the building and re-purpose the site is the best result for our community as a whole," he said.
Cr Ben Lucas was surprised the gallery wasn't full, reflecting "obviously it doesn't hold the sentimental power that I thought it did".
"Even if we did bring this back to its former glory, which is a nice sentiment, I don't think it would be used anyway," he said.
Cr Tricia Jones said upgrade works had been needed for a long time and likely contributed to the building being underutilised.
She said the repair costs went beyond structural repairs and the remediation of a valued, central community venue "seems to me to be a sensible, prudent option."
Cr Jones said council had invested $217,000 in recent years, with the hall used for the recent VEC council elections, art exhibitions and cultural gatherings.
"If we demolish the Exhibition Hall, where will all these events go?" she asked. "Would we simply be writing off years of investment with nothing to show for it?" she said.
Cr Paul Pratt said the building was part of the town's history and didn't support a "knee-jerk reaction" without further investigation into a middle ground solution.
"I'd love to, before we pass something like this, fully understand a little bit more about what it would cost to be able to continue to use this facility in its current state before we make a decision to knock down an asset that we don't have heaps of in this area," he said.
Cr Suzanne Allen also said the matter needed "more exploration" before a decision was made.
Cr Kate Wilson said the hall was yet another shire asset "at the end of its life".
"I can't imagine how we can find that money in the budget for this particular building," Cr Wilson said.
Cr Danny Goss labelled it "a relatively easy decision" and a building upgrade would "deprive the community of other projects."
He said the hall, which only hosted 11 major events last year, "obviously needs significant work" and "even if it was half as much as $2.6 million...that is a lot of money we simply don't have".
Crs Pratt and Jones called for a division. Voting in support of demolishing the hall were Crs Lucas, Hamilton, Goss, Wilson, Sheehan and Brendan Kingwill. Moving against were Crs Allen, Pratt and Jones..