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Thirty years of rehearsing, performing, teaching and learning at the Mac Adams Music Centre will be celebrated on Saturday June 3.
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The Port Macquarie Municipal Band has organised an invitation-only reunion for current and former band members and supporters.
Band president Leanne Howlett said the many former members – including original committee office bearers – will be attending.
“The Mac Adams Music Centre owes its existence and name to the former mayor and alderman on the former Port Macquarie Council – Mac Adams,” Mrs Howlett said.
“He was instrumental in getting much-needed funds to support federal government funding sourced through the RED Scheme.
“But Mac was the real driver behind the project. He got local business operators to support the concept and this is best evidenced by the honour board which acknowledges over 60 businesses who gave us support.
“Mac eventually served six or seven years on our committee,” she said.
Original committee members John Barrett also acknowledged Mac Adams’ efforts.
Mr Barrett, who was deputy mayor at the time and inaugural committee chairman, says council always enjoyed a good partnership with the band.
The Mac Adams Music Centre owes its existence and name to the former mayor and alderman on the former Port Macquarie Council – Mac Adams.
- Leanne Howlett
“Of course Mac was the central point to that. This centre continues to be the home of the municipal band and I’m looking forward to the reunion,” he said.
Others on the original committee included Ian Hopkinson, Shirley Goodbar, Michael Gleeson, Chris McRobert, Frank Johnson and Mac Adams.
The centre was officially opened on April 18, 1987 by the then minister Pat Hills along with mayor Bob Woodlands.
While the centre is predominately known as the home of the municipal band, it is the second most booked hall in the council area. It caters to rock bands, belly dancers and drumming groups.
In With Flags Flying, author Shirley Goodbar recounts that every band family contributed time, materials, or efforts to finish the building the way ‘we envisioned it’.
“It was truly a purpose-built facility containing a large rehearsal room, a medium sized room and a small one, besides the music library and workroom, a kitchen, the foyer and amenities,” she says in the book.