Modifications being made to Town Hall

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33413, 20 December 1973, Page 16

Modifications being made to Town Hall

Shortcomings in the Town Hall’s ventilation and heating system and in stage equipment in the James Hay Theatre had been discussed by the hall’s staff and architects, and modifications were being made, it was reported at the board of management meeting yesterday.

The board authorised work to be done at once on fire curtains and fly equipment on the stage area of the James Hay Theatre, which the operations manager (Mr C. R. Wilson) said were still dangerous. The work was not up to specifications.

Mr Wilson said attempts to get in touch with the original contractor for this work had been unavailing. The board was also told that the company was (believed to be in financial 'difficulties, but Mr H. G. Hay, [the board chairman, said the (work had to be done, and, if necessary, another company should be found to do it. “The complex and elaborate mechanical systems of the Town Hall are now performing satisfactorily," said a

report prepared jointly by the architects (Warren and Mahoney) and Town Hall staff. “The teething problems inevitable in a system of this size meeting unique design problems have been progressively resolved.” TABLES REARRANGED In the Cascade Restaurant, about which there had been a number of complaints about air conditioning, a rearrange-

ment of tables so that floor grilles occurred in aisles as originally intended was being tested, said the report. Fire-proofing of the James Hay Theatre curtain, the fitting of panic bolts to exterior doors, and other adjustments were being carried out to fulfil the requirements for a City Council building licence, the manager (Mr P. B. Connell) said. Some matters, “as agreed with council officers,”

would need to be left until after the New Year. The board authorised work to proceed towards installing an internal fire-alarm system for alerting staff. The system and its installation will cost about $12,000.