Manly Town Hall may be turned into a performance and exhibition centre, with council giving the green light to a feasibility study.
Northern Beaches councillor and chair of the Curtains Up! Community committee, Candy Bingham, said the reuse of the iconic building as a Performing Arts Centre had been part of her vision for many years.
“Such a facility will totally transform Manly as a destination,” Cr Bingham said. “The possibilities are endless – think concerts, theatre, cabaret, comedy nights, live bands, dances, and perhaps even movies. And the terrace rooftop would make an amazing bar.”
“The building could house a large versatile space seating around 350 people, a permanent theatre seating 100 people, a small cinema, and perhaps a satellite exhibition space for the Manly Art Gallery and Museum,” Cr Bingham said.
The building was opened in November 1937 and housed the Manly Council chambers from 1909 as a gateway to Manly. It was home to Manly Council until the formation of the Northern Beaches Council in 2016. The council chambers now operate out of the former Warringah Civic Centre at Dee Why.
In the long-term, the plan is to relocate the Manly customer service centre within Manly’s central business district, and rehouse existing staff who are currently located in the Town Hall building.
The performing arts centre vision was driven as a community project in collaboration with representatives from Manly Community Forum, Families for Manly, Manly Business Chamber, experts in tourism, performing arts, gallery and museums, heritage, and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person.
The feasibility study is budgeted to commence later this year, and a full report is expected by the end of 2023. There will also be a community consultation.