22 May 2008

E-Petition to :

SAVE THE MUSIC IN OUR COMMUNITY HALLS

Dear friends,

Over the past few months community hall committees have stopped booking live music and dance events at halls in Byron Shire. Seven Community Halls are currently affected in our Shire alone. Coorabell has been the rallying point to stop this erosion of Community.

The Coorabell Hall Initiative ( CHI ) has come together as a lobby group, facilitator and instigator of solutions to this sad and unnecessary situation.

Coorabell Hall has charmed us all over the decades, for nearly a century, with full moon dances going back to the 1920's and earlier. Yet due to one complaint to Council and a threat of litigation by a new neighbour, the Hall Committee has capitulated and shut down, in fear of being held personally liable.

We have already presented a plan to help Coorabell Hall Committee with event management - a plan that will serve committee, council, neighbourhood and community, and comply with relevant regulations. Our offer included sound monitoring equipment plus free installation, Council grant application and all supporting documentation, research into problematic events, future event management, help with maintenance, and fund-raising.

Yet both the Committee and the Hall remain silent.

Please add your name, location and email address in urging the Committee and Council to come to the discussion table and move forward, preparing and protecting Community Halls for music and dance, and managing them to comply with individual neighbourhood needs.

Send email to:

SaveTheMusic@CoorabellHall.net

The amazing groundswell of support we are witnessing, (along with well-researched plans) will press them into action; so we can play music and dance again in our community hall, the only other option being the pubs and clubs.

Families, hippies, artists, tradies, farmers, ferals, gays, straights, all ages, all types, all walks of life, connecting in happy and active relaxation and drawn together by the music. This is our Community. Together we will get it back.

love to you all,

Sol Millin (and the CHI)

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