The chairman of a working group behind a multi-million dollar upgrade to the Soldiers Memorial Hall says he is confident in securing the necessary grants after fifty years of neglect on the iconic building. 

Hall Redevelopment Working Group chair Paul Penno said the $800,000 commitment from the City of Greater Bendigo would put the RSL in good stead as it sought to secure the rest of the $4.2 million required in state and federal grants. 

“Given that there has been almost no major works carried out on this important war memorial in the past five decades… that requests for funding assistance from governments to complete the project will be viewed favourably,” Mr Penno said. 

”We believe both sides of politics at all levels of government are enthusiastic about this redevelopment.” 

Those plans to rejuvenate the Soldiers Memorial Hall will take a step forward this week with applications to be lodged for planning and heritage permits. The lodging of the permits this week is part of council’s plan to have the project ‘shovel ready’ to have the greatest chance of success in funding applications.

Planning and Development director Prue Mansfield said the upgrade would include the construction of a new gallery at the rear of the building which would include the climate control features required to host touring exhibitions.

“It would feature state-of-the-art interactive displays and a new gallery space capable of housing touring exhibitions from the War Memorial in Canberra,” Ms Mansfield said. 

“This would help boost economic activity by adding to Bendigo’s list of attractions and provide a place where local residents can learn more about their region’s history.”

Conservation works to the original building will include total roof replacement, new skylights, external render repairs and the application of a new wash coat to the whole building to replicate the original stone coloured finish. 

Other works will include upgrading exhibition spaces within the existing building, including restumping and new flooring in the Billiard Room, reinstatement of missing sections of the original ceiling and other plaster repairs and painting.