The Tivoli Drive-In, along with help from MEGT and the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative, will soon undergo a major transformation and will be able to offer employment and training opportunities to the local community.
The drive-in, located near Ipswich in south-east Queensland gets 75,000 visitors a year and all profits go to charity. Two years ago the venue was going to close unless funds could be raised to keep it open. The owners put out a call to raise $100,000 for a new digital projector but since receiving a State Government grant of $538,000, this vision has grown and the drive-in can now be completely transformed, with new plans to include a community centre and new stage.
A key part of this vision will be the 36 unemployed locals the venue has now been able to hire to rebuild the Tivoli. On Monday 2 November, MEGT Apprenticeships Consultants Rachael Cafe and Kyle Braut signed up local workers who will complete qualifications in construction as they work at the venue and gain practical experience in building the new community centre and stage.
Pastor Fred Muys, who runs the Tivoli, explains, “we have been very committed to using the centre both to create employment and provide work experience for unemployed people, to make it a learning centre for people who are disadvantaged and to provide entertainment for families.”
The Tivoli restoration is expected to be completed by the end of October next year.