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For many years, BCF has had a vision to build a large, state-of-the-art church auditorium. As our church is fast growing out of its present building, we can see the need for this facility becoming more apparent and therefore have commissioned top architect firm Noel Bell, Ridley Smith & Partners (www.nbrsap.com.au) to draw up plans and provide an accurate costing plan estimate designed on our present five acre site on the corner of Port Drive and Reid Road, Broome. We wanted the building to be eye catching, modern and functional, and at the same time be uniquely “Broome flavoured” so it seemed natural to be inspired by the shape of the pearl shell.

The Auditorium

The facility will be centred around a 1200 seat auditorium. The large stage has a ten metre fly tower for theatrical use, and the very latest in auditorium PA equipment. The stage itself will be built as a timber dance and theatrical floor, with carpet rolled out for church services and band performances. There will be two cry rooms and lifts for the disabled. We also have incorporated large curtains which can be drawn to reduce the size of the auditorium down to 780 or 420 seats. We have designed a large backstage area with private dressing rooms (flexible in size) and a green room. There will also be three large multipurpose rooms. These will be used by our kids church on Sunday mornings and will also be available as large dressing rooms with backstage access if the need arises. In fact these three rooms are separated by concertina style walls which can be opened up to create one large room if desired.

The Restaurant

At the front of the building we are incorporating a 220 seat restaurant. This will serve cheap and healthy food, say $10 per meal (similar to café Primo). As this style of eatery does not exist anywhere in Broome, we are sure it will be a welcome alternative for families and backpackers alike.

The Kidzone

Adjacent to the restaurant is our fully air conditioned indoor playground. This will have a huge soft play multi level climbing gym and play area for kids of primary school age and under. Mums and dads can sit in our café sipping cappuccinos and watching their kids play for hours in a safe and fun filled environment.

The Bookshop

Above the kidzone café is our Christian bookshop where you can purchase the latest books, CD’s, DVD’s and resources to equip you to live a better life and to help you grow spiritually too.

The Church Offices

Pastor Pete and the staff at BCF will work above the multipurpose rooms.

Community Use

As you can see from our website, BCF has always been a very community oriented church and therefore will naturally make our facility available for the Broome community to hire. We anticipate the various schools wishing to use it for their graduation nights, presentation nights and various performances. Local dance studios will also no doubt want to use the auditorium for their concerts as would touring musicians, theatre companies, and the like. Obviously the charge to these organisations would vary depending on whether or not they are a commercial venture.

Conferences

The BCF centre will be a perfect venue for conferences of all sizes. We will have multimedia equipment, breakout rooms and even our existing facility will be available for use. The commercial kitchen and four other coffee points in the foyer and café make morning and afternoon tea times stress free and of course the central location makes it an ideal venue for any conference. It would be a shame if Broome missed out on large (1000 delegates) international conferences for lack of a suitable venue. Needless to say, the whole town would benefit from such events, which is yet one more reason why we see the need for a large auditorium.

Building Management and Usage Issues

All building management issues will be under the supervision of the Centre Administrator. The centre will employ a Venue Manager who is directly responsible for the centre’s bookings, maintenance, cleaning, gardens, and security. A committee is being established comprising representatives from various arts and community groups to develop policies and procedures for the purpose of the various groups using the centre, which will ensure appropriate utilisation of facilities and equipment. This committee will then have the ongoing role of considering each application by groups wishing to use the centre on a case by case basis.

Funding

In consultation with a Perth based Quantity Surveyor and two local Broome building firms, the estimated cost of the new Broome Convention Centre is $12.9 million based on current building and materials prices. However it is expected that this figure will rise by approximately 8% pa resulting in an estimated cost of $15.1 million should the project be completed by the end of 2008. Five years ago the State Government gave a $5 million grant to the Shire of Broome to build a Performing Arts Centre. Unfortunately this amount is only sufficient to build a 250 seat auditorium which general public opinion indicates is grossly inadequate for meeting Broome’s many community needs. These funds have not yet been allocated to a specific project and BCF requested that the $5 million be reallocated to the Broome Convention Centre project. However the Shire Council have decided to try to raise a further $4 million with which they have plans to build a 350 seat auditorium.

This development has meant that the finances needed to build the Broome Convention Centre will be raised primarily through government grants, then donations, leasing agreements, and sponsorship from interested parties. If further funding is required, a low interest loan can be obtained by BCF to complete the building. The finance generated through the convention centre, restaurant and kids’ play centre will be adequate to service this loan and cover all ongoing expenses. The already established operational budget of BCF will also allow for most of the centre’s day-to-day expenses (ie BCF already employs administration, maintenance, and cleaning staff).

Floor Plans in PDF

Lower Level Floor Plan - Click to View

Upper Level Floor Plan - Click to View

Elevations - Click to View

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