Plenty of cause for optimism
IT FEELS as though there is a real sense of energy around town as we look to fit in as much as we can before Christmas.
After spending large chunks of the past two years with our movements and activities limited, it does seem to me that our community has embraced the opportunity to live life fully again.
Backyard BBQs and household catch-ups are back on the agenda; restaurants, pubs and cafes are full at last; weekend summer sport is up and going; and visitors from Melbourne are returning in large numbers. It brings optimism that our hospitality and retail sectors can enjoy a bumper pre-Christmas period, and our tourism industry will get the capacity summer it so desperately needs.
I was fortunate to attend the official opening of the Archie 100 exhibition at the Geelong Gallery last Friday night, followed by Western United’s A-League clash with Melbourne Victory at Kardinia Park on Saturday night. These two events are symbolic of the reawakening of major events we are now seeing in our region.
Archie 100 – featuring a wide selection of portraits from the Archibald Prize’s 100-year history – is likely to draw around 80,000 people through the gallery doors over the next four to five months. Many of those will come from outside Geelong, meaning the exhibition will make a huge impact on the local economy as visitors round out their day at a local hospitality venue. Hopefully a good number will stay the night and make a weekend of it.
It is a credit to the Geelong Gallery that they continue to draw nationally significant exhibitions, and the council is pleased to be supporting Archie 100 via Geelong Major Events.
Being back at GMHBA Stadium the following night for live sport alongside a crowd of more than 8000 was a fantastic feeling. The prospect of not only more ALeague, but Cats games and next year’s T20 Cricket World Cup being played at the ground over the next 12 months is exciting.
The stadium looks a little different at the moment with the final stage of redevelopment in progress at the northern end, but that adds to the anticipation further. How good will this venue be once the new stand is complete and we can have 40,000 fans inside at once?
In what is building as a promising recovery year for live music, we are thrilled at the news that The Killers will play at Mount Duneed late next year. The council is aiming to help reinvigorate the live music scene with a new initiative called Geelong Sounds, which will promote our region as a place where music is celebrated, supported and happening.
An important event as part of this is the Surround Sounds – Geelong and the Bellarine Music Festival, which will run across four weeks in April and May 2022. It’ll feature music for all tastes, including concerts, workshops and exclusive events. The City of Greater Geelong’s Arts and Culture team is running an EOI process for people with ideas for an event as part of this festival. To express your interest, visit geelongaustralia.com.au/arts.
Separately, good progress is being made on a number of new community facilities in the lead-up to Christmas, with libraries squarely in focus.
The new Drysdale Library is at the construction stage, while we are seeking feedback on designs for a new Armstrong Creek
Library and Community Hub, and a redevelopment of the Chilwell Library.
The designs for the Armstrong Creek facility have generated a lot of discussion, which is healthy. It will eventually serve a population of around 60,000 people in the Armstrong Creek growth area, and we want it to stand the test of time as a sustainable building that is a focal point for the local community.
If you haven’t seen the designs yet, head to yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au to have a look, read about the story behind the design, and provide your feedback.
You’ll find an opportunity to have your say about the Chilwell Library redevelopment there as well.
BACKYARD BBQS AND HOUSEHOLD CATCH-UPS ARE BACK ON THE AGENDA; RESTAURANTS, PUBS AND CAFES ARE FULL AT LAST; WEEKEND SUMMER SPORT IS UP AND GOING; AND VISITORS FROM MELBOURNE ARE RETURNING IN LARGE NUMBERS.