The Belconnen Arts Centre is upping the ante and harnessing the might of the public try to to convince the ACT government to fund stage two of the centre - a multi-million dollar lakeside live performance venue.
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Management of the centre says the Labor government always promised and planned for a second stage of which would be a live performance venue next to the centre, looking out over Lake Ginninderra, with seating for up to 400 patrons.
But then chief minister, Jon Stanhope, in 2010 denied the government had ever promised to do a second stage of the building
"What we've said is that we will assess the need and subject to that assessment we will perhaps one day proceed to a stage two," Mr Stanhope said at the time.
Belconnen Arts Centre chief executive officer Daniel Ballantyne said in 2012 the government spent $300,000 on plans and approvals for a $12 million to $15 million live performance venue.
The government's own infrastructure plan said stage two would be ready by 2021, he said.
But successive budgets had contained no funding to complete the arts centre.
Mr Ballantyne said that was despite the centre, which opened in 2009, was working to capacity and that the north and west of Canberra were the fastest-growing areas of the Territory.
"This is where the growth is, where the people are, where the interest is, but this is also where we have a stalled project," he said.
The centre this week issued an e-petition calling on the government to commit to a timeline and funding to complete the Belconnen Arts Centre by 2012. Close to 300 people had signed it by Friday.
Arts Minister Dr Chris Bourke had agreed to table the Assembly next week.
"I'm delighted to support this petition. I'm a very strong supporter of the Belconnen Arts Centre and it's fabulous to see so many members of the Belconnen community supporting this stage two development," the minister said.
But Dr Bourke would not comment on whether the government had promised to build a second stage or commit it to completing a second stage by 2021.
"What I can say is I'm looking forward to having more to say about the ACT government's commitment to the arts in the lead-up to the election," he said.
"Of course, the Belconnen Arts Centre is a key part of activating the Belconnen town centre and the Emu Bank foreshore. I mean we've already got city-to-the-lake already happening in Belconnen."
Dr Bourke also acknowledged that the performance space would benefit surrounding businesses such as restaurants and cafes.
"This is valuable to a lot of people," he said.
Mr Ballantyne said a large parcel of land on the eastern side of the centre had been sidelined for the live performance venue.
The plan was for it to be a "black box" for performances but also to be opened up, with views to the lake for functions and events.
He said $12 million to $15 million for the project was a "tiny, tiny fraction" of the government's capital works budget.
