A new community group Friends of the Busselton Performing Arts Centre has formed and will petition the State Government asking for financial support to contribute funding toward the project.
A spokesperson for the group said they would like the government to help fund construction of the centre to the specification and plans already drawn up by the City of Busselton.
"If successful, the funding would allow the full design to be built without any further impost on our ratepayers," a spokesperson said.
"The state funding required to do this would be considerably less than what was spent by the state in Albany and in line with what has been spent in other regional centres.
"It will also secure the $10.3 million dollar contribution already offered by the Federal Government."
Related content
City of Busselton chief executive Mike Archer said any backing from organisations or individuals that supported the council to seek support from the State or Federal Government would be welcomed.
"Council fully supports the petition and has itself, written to State Government several times requesting funding," he said.
"The City has received a response from the Minister for Regional Development Alannah MacTiernan. While funding has not been committed by the State Government at this point in time, the project and potential funding is under review.
"The City has also approached the Federal Government for additional funding, but at this point in time we've had no indication as to whether this is achievable or not."
At its last meeting, council voted to conduct a survey to determine whether the community supported the project, or if it should review designs potentially scaling back the project.
The decision came after tenders for the project came in at least $13 million over budget seeing city officers recommend that all offers be rejected.
The inflated costs were attributed to current market conditions in the construction industry which have seen prices rise amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city engaged an independent research company Catalyse Pty Ltd to survey the community until August 9, 2021 about the future of the project.
Residents can have their say on the city's website or respond to a random survey which was sent to 4,000 ratepayers.
Mr Archer said the community survey would be accompanied by background information about the project, why a performing arts and convention centre was being considered, information about the options being considered and the construction costs of each.
"The City seeks to further understand community views about the proposed performing arts centre and level of investment council should commit towards its construction," he said.
Bay to Bay Action Group president Anne Ryan said they were concerned that not enough information would be provided to ratepayers when they completed the survey.
"Our concerns are that it will be targeted to 4,000 people, but do ratepayers know that Option A will cost $38 million. This will take the City's debt to $59 million," she said.
"Option B will cost $33 million taking the City's debt to $54 million and Option C, stop the project altogether, still has the City's current debt level at $31 million.
"We welcome the FoPAC doing a petition.
"The City has tried twice and the South West blueprint says that the Government should fund it (not ratepayers).
"It is up to members whether they individually support a petition of this type, I cannot speak on their behalf."
Petition forms will be available in various locations around the city but can also be obtained by emailing buildingbusselton@gmail.com.
To complete the city's survey on the performing arts centre please visit yoursay.busselton.wa.gov.au/pac.