The Ku-ring-gai arts community has received some devastating news in the last few weeks. First, we learnt that the Marion Street Theatre redevelopment in Killara had been terminated by council after nearly 100 years.

It was shut down in 2013 due to age and safety issues. There was always the intention to redevelop the theatre and a great design was subsequently developed. The new precinct would have offered a multipurpose art centre with two theatres, a rehearsal space, a community meeting space, a cafe, an exhibition space in the foyer and an outdoor amphitheatre.

It would have been an incredible generational investment. But after all that work and considerable costs borne by council in commissioning the design and obtaining development approval, the project ultimately proved too expensive for council to proceed alone.

And shortly thereafter we heard the equally devastating news that the property holding the much beloved independent Roseville Cinema, a, community icon since the 1930s, is going to be sold. A judge has ordered that the building be sold to pay off the debts incurred by the owners.

Now, this is a cinema that's been showing blockbusters and arthouse films to dedicated locals for almost 100 years and it crawled through Covid without a cent of government support. And losing it now would be a tragedy to our local art scene.

So, two losses for our community in quick succession. These will impact current and future generations of Ku-ring-gai locals who will now have to grow up in a community with less going on, a diminished cultural scene and fewer venues to bring people together and to create and connect.

We should be doing everything we can to ensure that this doesn't happen. It's critical when we recognise and we preserve cultural heritage and to ensure that there is adequate arts infrastructure for our growing communities on the North Shore. We have to work harder. These two examples, the Marion Street Theatre and the independent Roseville Cinema, are, clear cases where rather than building new infrastructure from scratch, we can step in now and preserve and revitalise the spaces that already exist.

And here's where the federal government can help. Ku-ring-gai Council has signalled a federal contribution would make it more viable for council to step in and make sure that the Marion Street Theatre continues. And the government could also help ensure that the Roseville Cinema, our independent Roseville Cinema, is not demolished even if the building is sold.

By guaranteeing that the cinema would secure public financial support, a strong art scene is critical to a thriving, connected community. The government can act now to write in a plot twist if you like, and change the ending of this story, delivering a strong art scene for a community that so desperately wants and deserves it.