$5m Waikato theatre fundraising campaign underway
An eclectic cast – including Lord of the Rings star John RhysDavies, mayor Paula Southgate and Sir William Gallagher – lined up to formally launch the ‘‘Share the Stage’’ $5 million community fundraising campaign for the Waikato Regional Theatre.
Kelvyn Eglinton, chief executive of Momentum Waikato which is driving the theatre project, told guests that it was hoped to have the $5 million from various community sources and the public secured by the end of calendar 2022.
‘‘Then I can sleep at night,’’ he joked during the launch event in Hamilton’s Embassy Park yesterday.
The other $75 million for the $80-million project has been committed by a range of sources, enabling the project to start.
While work on the site is progressing under those existing commitments, getting the extra $5 million will allow the project to ‘‘hit the ground running’’ when it is completed by its target time of the second quarter of 2024.
Having $5 million in community and public funding is seen as important for relationships with major funders and getting local buy-in to the theatre’s success.
Speaking to before the event got under way, Eglinton said of the $5 million fundraising: ‘‘It’s a way of having community buy-in . . . it is communityowned.’’
He said that recently he and others had commented how busy the inner city was getting again and how a new theatre would help build even more buzz. ‘‘We were thinking how much more vibrant it’ll be when you’ve got 1300 people going to a show.’’
At the launch, he told guests that ‘‘every time there was a significant challenge the stars aligned and people like you . . . helped us bridge those gaps’’.
‘‘We hope that you’re as proud of what we’re building here as we are,’’ said Eglinton.
Project member Graeme Ward, from RDT Pacific, outlined some of the progress being made and work to come, saying ‘‘we’re making some good preparation work for that next phase’’.
Tim Strawbridge, project manager from Foster Construction, said frames would be ready by the end of the month to help with demolition work.
Two tower cranes were due to be in place by September and then the project could start ‘‘building the building’’.
The target completion time was the second quarter of 2024, Strawbridge said.
Eglinton told guests the project was close to signing a naming rights sponsor, that a detailed $5 million fundraising programme had been mapped out and that this was a chance for locals ‘‘to own a piece of their theatre’’ and ‘‘we want the community to have that ownership’’. Mana whenua were supportive, he said.
With a smile and a nod to John Rhys-Davies, Eglinton said many had indicated they’d like to be the very first performer at the new theatre.