I was disappointed to see that Echonetdaily chose to use an image of the new gallery to illustrate your story on Lismore’s rates.
More disappointing however was stating the cost of the (long sought after) project, and intimating that Lismore City Council is funding the full amount.
The only reason this project is now going ahead is that we received 50 per cent of the cost from the federal government late last year. Additionally, we have recently been donated $500,000 from the Margaret Olley Trust, the community has donated $100,000 (on top of an additional $80,000 in previously donations).
There is other money already received for this project from the state government ($110,000), and I am currently working on an additional application to the state government ($300,000) that we were invited to submit to the second stage.
All up that means that Council is funding just over 30 per cent of this capital project.
Brett Adlington, director, Lismore Regional Gallery