New home base for Armidale community radio

Thirty four red, white and blue helium balloons with gift tags attached soared into the air on Sunday afternoon at the official opening of Armidale community radio’s new base.
The number of balloons mark each year the 2ARM FM 92.1, the oldest continuous community radio station in the country, has been broadcasting.
Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay and Armidale Dumaresq Mayor Cr Peter Ducat cut the ribbon to open the new headquarters in Kentucky Street, behind the old Teachers College.
“This area has become a real community precinct with the new Scouts Hall about to be built and the new Gymnasium and New England Regional Art Museum close by,” he said.
“It is a wonderful fit for the radio station to be located here and with much more space and better facilities, I am sure it will continue to serve the community for many years.”
Station manager Kathy Padgen described the new building as “community central”.
“We encourage people to become involved and we are keen to share our great new space,” she said.
“This move is just wonderful for our members and presenters. It was becoming rather cramped at Cinders Lane and when we approached the Council for help, they offered us this building at a peppercorn rent.
“It’s an ideal site in direct line with our transmitter at Translator Hill.”
She said the addition of a kitchen, bathroom and meeting room and more space for storage would make operations more efficient.
“We are a community organisation and totally rely on our volunteers for administration, broadcasting and day to day administration,” she pointed out. “The station is growing and we are very grateful to have room to expand.”
The station has 270 members and 50 active volunteers, 30 of whom are presenters. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week with local volunteers at the microphone from 9am to 10pm each day.
Anyone who finds a balloon can redeem a prize at the new HQ in Kentucky Street.