A Wyndham resident is calling on the council to “stop wasting ratepayers’ money” and switch on the giant television screen at the front of the Encore Events Centre.
David Robinson is keen to see the screen – which measures seven metres by four metres and is valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars – put to use and has spent recent months trying to get answers from the council.
A Star Weekly report last month revealed the screen, which was installed as part of the $54.4 million redevelopment of Wyndham’s leisure and events centre, had never been used and had not even been turned on since the revamped centre opened in June.
Councillor Intaj Khan said the screen could have cost the council up to $1.1 million.
But Wyndham council chief executive Kelly Grigsby said the screen, its installation and programming costs added up to $200,000.
Mr Robinson said he was told by a council employee the screen would not be turned on until June next year.
“Once I started to dig a little bit deeper, I found out that it was going to cost another $120,000 to activate it,” he said. “They’ve got no-one to operate it – it’s just sitting there doing nothing.
“It’s a real mix-up … with the amount of ratepayer money spent on it, it should be working.”
Ms Grigsby said the current permit allowed the screen to be used as a static display to promote Encore and AquaPulse.
“To enable use for major occasions and sporting events, Wyndham City is seeking planning approval to plant a number of mature trees, which will provide the screening required under the planning scheme,” she said.
“If approved, this will allow the screen to be used once the trees have been planted.
“The estimated cost is $20,000 for the supply and planting of large trees, which will be planted in early 2016.”
