Restore Our Hall

Different Places. Different Spaces. 2508 Needs Both.

A new library will provide much-needed space for our community to connect — and so does our existing Community Hall.

Our priority is simple: retain, restore and return the hall to our community.

The new development should add to the community spaces we already have, not mean losing a valued existing asset.

Have your say Compare the spaces View DA plans

Our priority

Restore the Community Hall

Helensburgh Community Hall at 26 Walker Street, with its brick facade, access ramp and grassy foreground.

2508 Collaborate is calling for the existing 1150 m² Community Hall at 26 Walker Street to be retained, restored and returned to community use.
Council’s DA-2026/592 proposes a new library and community centre at 55–57 Walker Street. Our campaign is not about stopping that development. Our concern is the future of the existing hall.
New community infrastructure should add to what our growing community has — not become the reason we lose an existing community asset.

Two complementary facilities

What Restoring Our Hall Preserves

Restoring the existing hall alongside the new development would preserve valuable additional community capacity for indoor sport, performance, youth activities, celebrations and community events.

Retaining and restoring our existing hall at 26 Walker Street more than doubles our civic capacity, securing both: a quiet modern library, and a dedicated, full-scale venue to create, perform, and connect.

Scroll across to compare both facilities.

Community spaces compared by 2508 Collaborate
Facility / Space	What the Existing Hall Preserves	Existing Hall 26 Walker Street	Proposed New Facility 55–57 Walker Street
Dedicated Youth Centre	Dedicated youth space	135 m²	None
Performance Stage	Dedicated raised stage	55 m² (raised stage)	None (flat floor)
Main Hall Floor	Larger timber court / indoor sport space	365 m² (timber court)	220 m²
Total Auditorium Space	Additional large gathering capacity	420 m²	220 m²
Meeting & Activity Rooms	Additional meeting and activity space	147 m²	90 m²
Kitchen & Servery	Additional kitchen / servery capacity	22 m²	14 m²
Public Amenities / Toilets	Additional amenities	50 m²	36 m²

Figures reflect 2508 Collaborate’s comparison. The total auditorium includes the main hall floor and stage; these rows are not separate areas to add together.

2508 Collaborate’s position

Our Win-Win Vision for Postcode 2508

Build a Library

Construct a dedicated, modern library focused on learning, technology, study, and quiet connection.

Restore Our Community Hall

Preserve and restore our existing 1150 m² hall at 26 Walker Street to safeguard indoor sports (basketball, netball), theatrical performances, youth programs, and community celebrations.

Town Centre Carpark

Convert the former library site into dedicated public parking, eliminating town-centre parking deficits, relieving congestion, and preventing dangerous traffic flow down Walker Lane.

Why the Existing Hall Still Matters

Indoor Sport

The existing hall includes a 365 m² timber court that provides space for activities such as basketball and netball.

Performance

The hall includes a dedicated raised stage and a larger auditorium space for performances, gatherings and community events.

Youth and Community Space

The existing facility includes dedicated youth and activity spaces that add to the range of places available to our community.

More Space for a Growing Community

Retaining the hall alongside the new development would give 2508 two complementary community facilities rather than requiring one to replace the other.

Our planning case

Strategic Planning & Urban Design Justification

2508 Collaborate’s assessment of how retaining the hall supports our town centre and its future needs.

Community Heart & Focal Point

Successful town centres require an active civic heart that supports sports, theatre, markets, and large public gatherings. We believe reduced floor space undermines this focal point and fails to reflect the over 83% of community survey respondents who support hall restoration.

Flexibility & Adaptability

Large multi-purpose spaces adapt far better to changing social, cultural, and economic needs over time. Our assessment is that a 72% cut in hall area severely limits building adaptability and restricts future civic growth.

Fine Urban Grain & Precinct Diversity

Distributing functions across a standalone library, a restored hall, and dedicated parking creates a resilient, walkable precinct rather than over-concentrating incompatible uses into a single constrained 3-storey building.

State Benchmark Deficit

Our assessment is that the DA proposal delivers less than 1,000 m² of total floor area across all facilities, falling over 330 m² short of NSW State Library guidelines for Helensburgh’s population (approximately 9,374 residents), while using 25% of the gross footprint for vertical circulation (lifts and fire stairs).