$600,000 pledged for new theatre-conference centre

Press, 7 July 1977, Page 19

$600,000 pledged for new theatre-conference centre

Marlborough’s most ambitious regional project, a civic theatre-conference centre in Blenheim, is about to be realised.

The Marlborough Civic Theatre Trust has called tenders for the construction of the building; $600,000 has been pledged by people and business houses throughout the region towards its construction, and the land — the .old Post Office site — if not tagged for the building, has been acquired by the Blenheim Borough Council.

A new theatre-cultural-conference centre was forced upon Marlborough by the closure of the old His Majesty’s Theatre which was condemned as an eathrquake risk. With its demolition went the only suitable theatre for stage presentations in the district.

A replacement was considered vital and the theatre trust was set up. It called in a firm of fundraising consultants who raised promises of $600,000, from the people of the region towards the cost of a new theatre. Al-

ready, almost $341,000 has been paid in in cash. The site, that of the old Post Office in Market Place, was the most desirable. Here, the trust has run into a few difficulties — but none that cannot be resolved. The site is considered ideal for the theatre. There are others, however, who oppose the only piece of clear land in the centre of the town (and used now by workers as a favourite lunch-time venue) being built upon. The site has, however, been acquired by the borough council from tire Crown and although it has not yet been tagged for use as a theatre site, the trust believes this will follow. The Christchurch architectural firm of Warren and Mahoney has drawn up plans for a 1000-seat auditorium. This will be large enough to accommodate major productions by local organisations, visiting artists and shows, and some of the biggest An office for the Public Relations Office is to be established in the building

along with a variety .of display and meeting rooms. Much of the ground floor facing on to Market Place will comprise retail shops and the building will extend slightly on to Market Place.

As a result of this pro-

jection, it is anticipated that Market Place will be re-designed and laid out to provide a “market place” atmosphere.

The above photograph is an artist’s impression of the building.