Business Victor Harbor (BVH) has raised concerns about the proposed Arts and Culture Centre and stage five of the council’s main street revitalisation project.

"Business Victor Harbor’s position on the ‘Victor Harbor Arts and Culture Centre’ concept is one of general support," says Michael Schubert, Chairman of BVH.

"We believe that a focus on arts and culture can be a sustainable competitive advantage for Victor Harbor if executed correctly and acknowledge the predicted economic benefits and increase in activity in our visitor economy and community as a result."

However, Mr Schubert says BVH has concerns over the mechanics of the concept relating to the overall viability and financial sustainability of the project.

This includes the impact of potential closure of the cinema for up to two years while the project is completed.

BVH  is also concerned that demand forecasts for the new theatre seem overly optimistic and that council borrowing $12 million for the project could be detrimental to the local economy.

Despite its broad support for the concept of Main Street revitalisation, BVH has raised the issues of continual diminution of on-street parking across the city centre and the potential interruption to local businesses during construction. 

Mr Schubert says all stages of the Main Street project have seen a reduction in available parking in the CBD and Stage 5 proposes to cut a further 23 spaces.

“A car parking plan was done at the time of the original town centre master plan, but this is now a quite historic action in the context of 2021 and beyond. Has an overall car park requirements study been completed recently for the City’s parking needs with the planned growth and expansion?”

BVH acknowledges that construction works that interrupt local businesses is often unavoidable, but says it must be balanced by the result achieved once construction is completed. 

It has requested that the council takes an approach to planning and executing Main Street Stage 5 that minimises business interruption during construction.

It has also highlighted the lack of information on the incremental cost that the council will incur to complete Stage 5 of the Main Street project. 

“Borrowing for public infrastructure projects that provide significant benefit to the community is not opposed by BVH. Our concern is that this project combined with others will be a key driver of higher debt levels.”

"As the peak chamber of commerce for our region, Business Victor Harbor will continue to advocate for our members and the wider business community to build a positive, prosperous and sustainable economic future for our region’s businesses and community," Michael Schubert says. 

Full details of BVH concerns are available on its website: ‘Arts and Culture Centre; and ‘Main Street – Stage 5’.