Fund My Neighbourhood Program
Thanks to a program called Fund My Neighbourhood last year from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (Government of South Australia), community members have seen a markedly improved lighting and sound system at the Community Hall of the Vietnamese Community in Australia / SA Chapter.
Since installation, the new sound system coupled with acoustic treatment panels, and the new lighting system operated through a control panel or by a portable tablet have been enjoying by approximately 5,000 members with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The availability of this modern facility has had the local area excited.
Bookings for parties, weddings, concerts and fashion parade each of which attracted hundreds of attendees have increased substantially. Cultural events such as The Hung King’s Commemoration and Ethnic School performances have already experienced the benefits of the program whereas the upcoming Full Moon Festival will certainly take full advantages of the available technologies in the Hall.
In addition, block-out curtains have also been installed to provide complete darkness when required for performances and/or screening films, and to prevent heat transfer from both directions. This has resulted in reduced costs of heating in winter and cooling in hot days.
Overall, the Fund My Neighbourhood initiative has increased the profile of the state electoral district of Cheltenham. This will not only provide benefits and options for community members but may also attract more businesses to the local area.