Just over a year ago, Huon Valley Council abolished existing volunteer-run hall management committees and took direct responsibility for booking and maintaining most community halls.
The decision was not without controversy.
One year on, the landscape looks quite different; halls are now on the SpaceToCo booking system, with council staff approving bookings, managing access and organising maintenance.
Some of the dissolved committees have turned themselves into ‘Friends of [insert name here] Community Hall’ groups or ‘Community Alliances’, and others have dissolved into nothing.
Surges Bay Supporters was a rebrand, and one that seemed to rise and flourish after the council takeover, powered by a committee credited with turning it from a neglected, vandalised venue into a valued community asset.
While several halls dropped off social media and mailing lists disappeared, the activities taking place at Surges Bay Hall are well publicised – markets, school holiday programs, music and dance events, and many others.
But morale among the organisers is now low, with a significant grant rejection and a recent unfortunate email interaction with HVC, which demonstrated the occasional difficulties inherent in computer-based scheduling.
“I’m sure there was nothing personal,” said one of the organisers.
“In many ways, that’s the problem.”
The recent changes to hall hire fees have had a mixed response.
The Isabella Rose Stage Company (IRSC), run by Isabella Briffa, utilised the SpaceToCo system for the many classes run in the community.
“The appeal was that we could book up to three years in advance,” she said.
However, on June 25 she received a SpaceToCo notification: ‘Please find attached the notification of Hall Fees and Charges for the 2026/27 financial year for your information.’
A spreadsheet of rates was attached and Ms Briffa discovered that the community rates of $15 an hour had been discontinued.
This took her venue hire costs from $198.50 to $490.50 for 13.25 hours.
The fees were to take effect in two months.
On June 30, HVC announced a Community Activation Program (CAP) to begin the next day.
It offered ‘free hire to groups running activities that provide wider community value and enable neighbourhood activations’.
Mayor Sally Doyle said the change was about backing the kind of grassroots activities that make the Huon Valley a great place to live.
‘Eligibility,’ said the media release, ‘is assessed on the activity rather than the organisation.’
An information sheet indicates that the responses to a short set of questions would determine whether the rate would be applied during the booking process via SpaceToCo.
Intrigued, the Huon News endeavoured to secure a two-hour session on a Wednesday morning for a charity knitting session, identifying as a non-profit and using the category of ‘community group’.
At $37 per hour, this came to $74.
The Huon News then tried to change categories, to no avail, and was forced to ask the site’s chatbot how to access the Community Activation Rate.
The chatbot referred us on to Aaron – working remotely in the Philippines – who said: “Regarding the booking rates, please contact your venue host directly.”
It took some time to find the link to make this happen, but the query was sent.
The response time was good, but confirmed that taking advantage of the free bookings means requesting the relevant form, filling it out, sending it back for a human to gauge eligibility and then provide a discount code.
Meanwhile, Ms Briffa moved to non-council venues for her classes on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
“From my perspective, the council strategically ‘honoured’ the community rates for a year and then that was it,” she said.
“I have been especially disheartened by the lack of empathy or consideration for us community groups; I was able to ensure my classes/tuition were accessible and affordable for our whole Huon community thanks to the hire rates being accessible.
“If I hadn’t found the alternative venue, I would have needed to at least double my student tuition rates, which I refuse to do.”
HVC welcomed the opportunity to explain on the recent changes in hall hire fees.
“The updated fee schedule was developed through consultation with hall committees during 2024 and 2025, including an information session and direct written notice to committees,” a spokesperson said.
“All regular users registered through our SpacetoCo booking system also received formal notice in June 2026.”
They noted the introduction of the CAP which would provide discounted or free access for events open to the public with minimum cost.
Such bookings need to fall under either ‘neighbourhood activation’ (connecting and building community relationships) or ‘community cause’ (locals working on a local issue or challenge that improves liveability or resilience in the Huon Valley).
Category 1: Glen Huon Hall, Judbury Community Centre, Palais Theatre, Ranelagh Memorial Hall and Southport Community Centre.
Category 2: Geeveston Community Hall, Huon Valley Hub Indoor Space, Huonville Scout & Guide Hall, Mountain River Hall and Surges Bay Hall.
