Ararat Rural City Council has awarded the tender for the long-awaited Pomonal Hall redevelopment to building contractors Searle Bros.

Under the project, the existing Pomonal Hall is to be demolished and replaced by a new facility within the Pomonal community precinct.

The new hall will include a stage, a viewing deck overlooking the neighbouring reserve, male and female toilets and change facilities, a separate meeting room, a large kitchen and lobby, and storage areas.

Lauded by his peers as the architect of the project, Pomonal Hall and Recreation Reserve Committee president, David Handscombe said the redevelopment has been a decade in the making.

"It certainly has been a lot of years in making, this has been on the cards for more than 10 years,” he said.

“In the next six to eight months we should have a new facility, it will be really good to see it finally come to fruition.”

Mr Handscombe said the sooner work gets underway, the better. 

“The old hall has served us well, but it is tired, structurally it has seen better days,” he said.

“It is home to a million termites and if something isn’t done soon it could fall down in the very near future.

“We need to face the reality that the community has outgrown the current building and this development gives us the opportunity for a new facility, one that will hopefully serve the community for the next 100 years.

“A facility that has great acoustics, state-of-the-art kitchen, is environmentally friendly, visually appealing and has a design that allows for easy expansion in the future.”

Mr Handscombe said members of the community had spent countless hours lobbying and canvassing support for the project.

​"Pomonal is one of the few growing communities in the Shire, its growth has been quite marked compared to other small towns in the Shire,” Mr Handscombe said.

“We've been very fortunate that both council and the previous State government committed to the project.” 

Cr Hooper said council recognised the need for the new building and has committed $450,000 towards it.

“You have to go back to 2006 when the community of Pomonal was first promised this facility after the Mount Lubra fire,” he said.

“It’s been a long journey, so this is fantastic news, a great outcome for them.”