February 28th, 2022Group urges Hepburn Council to Rethink The Rex

A GROUP of “concerned citizens” has formed to try to stop the sale of The Rex.
Hepburn Shire Council voted in November for the sale, which would mean a loss of up to $6 million in works already done on the former theatre in Vincent Street, Daylesford.
Council officers had recommended to continue with building the council hub which was to house office accommodation, a cinema, library and public toilets.

Group spokesperson Jules McDonald said many residents were concerned “about the premature decision to sell the Rex with no community consultation prior to making this enormous decision”.
The group met in February and identified a number of alternative options including partnering with other organisations to use the space and selling with the condition of leasing the building, or part of it, back.
“There was strong consensus however that the process of selling should be delayed until a full community engagement process has been undertaken.”
Rethink the Rex group member Gina Lyons said the council had conducted extensive consultation with the community about a hub in 2014 and identified all of the components which should be included.
“There was further consultation in 2016 when the council was considering purchasing The Rex,” Ms Lyons said. “The community has been waiting four years for the hub at The Rex to be completed. Major changes, such selling the building, should have been flagged with the community in advance because this is a 50-year project in which we all have a stake.”
Ms McDonald said a community-managed meeting to try and halt the sale and start an extensive community engagement process will be held in March.