350-seat auditorium axed from Sunshine civic hub

The new Sunshine Community and Civic Centre could be called Brimbank House. Picture: David Bonnici

Plans for a 350-seat auditorium in Sunshine have been axed.

Star Weekly exclusively revealed in June, 2014, Brimbank council was considering converting two cinemas at Sunshine Market Place to an auditorium, which would host lectures, presentations, forums, conferences and performances.

There were also plans for it to be directly accessed via the new Brimbank Community and Civic Centre, due to open in June this year.

The council allocated $500,000 in its draft budget to begin design works for the auditorium.

In 2014 Council administrator John Watson said the auditorium was needed as Brimbank lacked a venue of its size.

“This project has the potential to deliver significant economic benefits to Brimbank and ongoing community benefits through offering improved access to cultural and artistic events,” he said at the time.

“The civic centre and, we hope, this auditorium will significantly improve the Town Centre.

“Combined with works that will result following the adoption of the Hampshire Road Masterplan, the future really is bright.”

A council report said the auditorium would not go ahead due to a “change in strategic direction by the property owner of the Village Cinemas”.