Candidate’s arts proposal
Debate is heating up over the location of a $98m Concert Hall and North Australia Arts Precinct, with mayoral candidate Fran O’callaghan backing an expansion of the Townsville Civic Theatre precinct.
A year ago, AECOM was announced as the winner of the tender to develop a $2m business case weighing up where to locate a long-awaited concert hall – which would be funded by $195m in redirected federal money for the 15-year Townsville City Deal.
Townsville City councillor and mayoral candidate Ms O’callaghan announced on
Thursday that she supported the $75m Townsville Performing Arts Centre proposal, contrasting with Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill’s view that the concert hall should be located at Dean Park.
Supported by the arts community and local performing arts bodies, TPAC would include an 800-seat concert hall, 200-seat drama theatre, 2000 capacity amphitheatre, foyers capable of hosting functions for up to 1000 people and more than 800 patron car parks.
TCC confirmed that TPAC was one of seven options being considered as part of the business case, which was
expected to be completed June this year.
Ms O’callaghan said the new centre was badly needed due to lack of performing arts venues in the city, and in should be located near the Civic Theatre, which was built in 1978.
“I understand that the Civic Theatre is virtually booked out year on year and there is a dire shortage of smaller venues to host local and touring performances,” she said.
“The Townsville City Council has closed the Riverway performance space to relocate the Thuringowa library, and I’m unaware of what the final outcome will be with the Old Courthouse Theatre building in the city, which I understand has been out of action for three years.
“Funding has been guaranteed by the federal government so the TPAC could be operational within five years.”
Ms O’callaghan said the people who would use these facilities – Townsville Choral Society, North Queensland Opera and Theatre Company, Barrier Reef Orchestra, Townsville Eisteddfod, Australian Concerto Vocal Competition – knew what was required and where it should be located.
“There are also some big advantages in building the TPAC adjacent to the Civic Theatre, such as negating the need for two administrations, not needing separate booking offices, multidirectional access and parking,” she said.
“Fears have been raised about the Civic Theatre site being on a floodplain, but surely the design could offset that. As I understand it there is $98m in funding available for this project, so additional costs could be covered.”
Ms Hill responded to Ms O’callaghan’s announcement, saying every councillor was entitled to have a personal preference for the location of a future arts precinct.
“The business case is currently being developed by the Australian government and consultants (involving) $2m of Australian taxpayers’ money and $700,000 of Townsville ratepayers’ money,” she said