It doesn't quite match the wish list but Tenterfield Shire Council has been successful in securing a $250,000 grant under the Bushfire Community and Resilience Fund.
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An allocation of $187,500 will go towards improvements to the acoustic treatment at the Tenterfield Memorial Hall.
The remaining $62,500 of the funding will be used for a council-led Community Grants Program of small-scale community activities that meet one or more of the disaster recovery outcomes. The funding is designed to support communities to overcome the social impacts of the bushfires by funding projects and events that will provide community wellbeing, social and broader recovery, and future disaster resilience.
"This amount will see applications being submitted to council for social events and digital communication initiatives that support social recovery, commemoration and improve community connectedness," Mayor Peter Petty said.
"These programs and initiatives will also support community recovery and wellbeing."
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Applications for grants of up to $25,000 are being accepted now and will close on Friday, January 15. Note that commercial, profit-making or general fundraising projects are ineligible, as are applications from individuals.
An assessment panel comprising councillors and council staff will review the submissions to determine the funding allocations. All successful activities and events have to be completed by December 31 next year.
Meanwhile the bulk of the grant will help Tenterfield Memorial Hall transition into a disaster evacuation facility.
"The Memorial Hall is currently designed as a function venue, sporting and community entertainment facility, as opposed to an evacuation centre," Cr Petty said.
"The upgrade will transition the Memorial Hall into becoming a disaster evacuation facility able to conduct activities that directly relate to the needs of persons in an evacuation environment and will continue to support public forums similar to the NSW Bushfire Enquiry into the Bushfires in the region with the flexibility to enable training in a conference type layout within the space.
"This upgrade -- with the improved facility for the ongoing management of disaster events within our community, together with other events, community briefings and training sessions -- will improve coordination between emergency services, council, evacuees and community members."
