Heritage New Zealand disappointed by dumped Theatre Royal project

Monday, 5 August 2024

Timaru’s Theatre Royal in the south end of Stafford St has an Historic Place Category 2 listing.

Heritage New Zealand has urged the community and council to work together to find a solution for Timaru’s beloved Theatre Royal.

Timaru District councillor Owen Jackson was one of only two councillors to vote in favour of a long-proposed plan to redevelop the Theatre and create a new heritage facility at an extraordinary council meeting last month.

Last week, he called for the community to consider a fundraising effort to save the heritage building which has been closed since 2019 because of safety concerns.

The building, which opened as a theatre in 1877, has social significance as Timaru's first permanent venue for entertainment, and has a Historic Place Category 2 listing.

As part of the council’s proposal, the building was to be upgraded with a Heritage Hub to be developed alongside it.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga southern director Christine Whybrew.

It is a project Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga was excited about, its southern director Christine Whybrew said.

“Heritage New Zealand was very enthusiastic about this project,’’ she said.

“The Theatre Royal was designed as a place of gathering and this latest plan to upgrade it was something we were excited about.’’

She said the agency was “very supportive’’ of the proposal and saw bringing the museum into the plan as a way of providing day-to-day function for the buildings.

The project had also been in the works for some time so to get it to the costing and funding stage was “really exciting’’, she said.

Owen Jackson talks about the decision to can the Theatre Royal and Heritage Hub project in Timaru.

“We were disappointed to hear the decision.’’

As well as throwing the future of the Theatre Royal “into doubt’’, she said the project would have been a great way to revitalise the south end of Stafford St.

“It was encouraging to see the Timaru District Council leading the charge in terms of heritage upgrade.’’

Whybrew said Timaru’s main street included mainly Edwardian and late Victorian buildings.

“That’s really special because it gives the town quite a unique character.

“The council and business community could promote that as a reason to come to Timaru. There are all sorts of opportunities that exist.’’

Heritage New Zealand southern director Christine Whybrew said Timaru’s Stafford St included mainly Edwardian and late Victorian buildings.

She said those buildings told the story of Timaru.

“Explaining why the town is there in the first place and shows everyone that’s come before.’’

She described the Land Service Building which houses Te Ana Maori Rock Art Centre as one example of a Timaru heritage building being reused well.

“There’s already some exciting things happening with heritage buildings in Timaru.’’

The repair to Aigantighe Art Gallery was another example, she said.

“The Timaru Civic Trust have also been doing great work for decades.’’

She said down the road in Ōamaru, Heritage New Zealand has worked closely with the Waitaki District Council and said its economic development plan around retaining heritage buildings was “visionary’’.

In terms of demolishing the Theatre, Whybrew said the council would need to obtain resource consent to do so, and given the building’s age it is also considered to be on an archaeological site.

“The building is protected as it stands so that puts some measures in place.’’

She encouraged finding new uses for old buildings and adaptive reuse.

“We promote the Landing Service Building as an exciting example of adaptive reuse.’’

It was now up to the community and council to find a solution for the building, she said.

“We’re always in the wings to offer advice.

“We urge the council and community to work together to find a solution.’’