Mid-Western Regional Council has advised that the community rooms will not be available during business hours as they will be required for staff training.

The rooms will still be available on evenings and weekends, and council has offered the use of the gallery space at The Stables when it is  not being used for exhibitions.  

However, many community groups meet in business hours, particularly seniors groups whose members may not like to drive at night time. 

Mudgee U3A is not the only group which will be affected by the change, which will exacerbate the difficulty many not-for-profit and community groups have in finding venues for their activities.  

While many  churches and community groups make their halls and meeting rooms available to others, these groups must charge hiring fees to cover the cost of maintaining the buildings, power and other expenses, and in some cases rely on money raised through rental helps to support their core activities. 

Mudgee Golf Club and Club Mudgee  and some businesses also provide meeting space to many community groups. 

However, many groups still struggle to find an affordable venue for their meetings and activities. 

The sign on the front of The Stables clearly designates it as a “Community and Cultural Centre”.   

If the building is no longer able to serve as a centre for a community which has clearly outgrown the two rooms that are available to it, then it is time for the council to begin investigating other alternatives. 

In recent times there have been calls for a parenting room and a seniors centre in Mudgee.

 A community centre could incorporate both of these facilities as well as meeting rooms for community groups of all ages. 

A multi-purpose community centre is something that the incoming council should consider investigating.  

Failing this look for another venue for council staff training and put the “community” back into The Stables.