Theatre proposal

We lost our popular Founders Theatre to earthquake risk. After many months, the powers that be have decided to build a theatre in the middle of the CBD in the narrowest street. Between 8am and 10pm, even for an emergency, either a police car, fire engine or ambulance could not get through Victoria Street.

You cannot get a car park for the audience near this theatre site. Except for graduation ceremonies and few musical ceremonies, the audience for most of the events are elderly citizens. They cannot drive the vehicle to third and fourth floors in car park buildings and walk all the way through Hood Street, which is full of nightclubs and intoxicated people, just to attend an event in the theatre. Only a handful of people, especially seniors, attend Opus Orchestra. It is not safe for elderly people to walk through these streets at night after theatre performances.

In earlier days, a community group could hire the Founders Theatre for community events and provide its own refreshments. Later, for unknown reasons, Hamilton City Council signed a contract with a caterer, that for all events food has to be ordered from. Community groups could not afford the high charges. Even Claudelands has the same problem.

Josi Brimworth

Hamilton

thoughts were for a theatre that sat on the river side of Victoria Street and recognised the river’s features, perhaps with a connection to the Waikato Museum thru the river walk.

But what a disappointment to see the Hamilton naysayers! Oh, woe is me - no parking, bad end of town, no green paddocks and now near to strippers, slappers, etc. The negativity shows no bounds.

A beautiful theatre to attract great shows, bringing people into Hamilton, will bring a new vitality way beyond the usual concepts of plod-like free parking.

I for one look forward to creating a jewel, something that will draw the attention of all New Zealand and bring recognition to this city.

We now will have a collection of theatres for all levels of interest, so let’s now find a great use for the Founders Theatre sitting in its beautiful park setting. I vote for a children’s museum building on the success of Waikato Museum and the children in the parks programme, to bring some vitality opportunities for our kids. Exciting stuff ahead.

Bruce Cresswell

Hamilton

distance of both the Hood Street and Alexandra Street parking buildings, providing easy, safe, well-lit parking (which was never achieved by the location of the Founders Theatre) and all the services one needs for a good night out both before and after the theatre. Funnily enough there was a small theatre on this site – Left Bank Theatre - which specialised in high-quality, small, semi-professional productions. It was at the back of the hotel building in the large area between it and the river.

Already Momentum has shown an ability to think outside the square and I am sure it will be liaising with those who have used the Founders Theatre to address that theatre’s perceived shortcomings, such as the wing area of the stage and the foyer space to create a venue worthy of our growing city.

Let’s hope this gets the go-ahead – a new performance venue and one of Hamilton’s few remaining beautiful old facades preserved – what more could we want?

Peter Gillies

Hamilton