By Dominique Tassell
Southern Downs Regional Council has approved a new 10-year lease for Greymare Hall.
The Greymare Hall Committee Incorporated (GHC) have held tenure with council for the past 10 years over the whole of the reserve at Mountain Maid Road, Greymare.
The trustee lease expired recently on 30 April 2021.
Council received correspondence from the GHC requesting to renew the lease for a further ten years, and approved it at the 14 July Council Meeting.
The GHC have improved the grounds by way of a new synthetic pitch and netted practice wicket on a full size oval, using the assistance of successful grant applications.
The improvements to the grounds allow them to host events.
The new lease provides council with revenue by way of an annual lease fee of $223.74 for community and sporting organisations.
Councillor Cynthia McDonald spoke up in the meeting to endorse local community halls.
“These are well-utilised assets within our community,“ she said.
“Greymare being one that is frequented, I would say to you probably by 20-30 people per month except for the winter months when they have their local gatherings.“
“No different to Freestone, Juneby, and the many other halls that we have around the region.
“They are well looked after facilities, council has made some very very positive contributions with grants over the last months and years sorry, to assist those various halls.
“And with Covid-19, I think it’s very important that communities have a chance to actually congregate in those smaller groups and these facilities provide that.“
Councillor Marco Gliori spoke up in support of Councillor Sheryl Windle for the work she does with local halls, saying when at community halls he often receives positive feedback regarding her work.
“The last four years they keep mentioning (Councillor Sheryl Windle’s) name.“
“I said can I help you with this funding, and they say Councillor Windle has already sent that through.
“Well done in the communities, good on you.“
Councillor Windle said she enjoys that part of her role, and really enjoys spending time with the communities.
Regarding Greymare Hall, she said “with Greymare it’s not just their hall“.
“These grounds that they want the lease over is a very important component to them, they’re very strong in their sport particularly with their cricket out there.“
“And it’s very well supported.
“So it’ll be good to see the lease secured for them again and they’ve got bigger plans to utilise those grounds a lot more in the future so well done to them.“
The motion to renew the lease was moved by Councillor McDonald and seconded by Councillor Windle.
