Brian Rudman: Restore St James and make Auckland NZ's arts capital

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My challenge to the mayoral candidates a couple of weeks back, to embrace Auckland's role as cultural capital of the country, had a predictable enough response. Total ignore from Auckland mayoral front-runners Len Brown and John Banks, and squawks of outrage from Wellington.

Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast not only gave me a blast in a letter to the editor, she also made Wellington's "arts culture status" a big issue in a subsequent Wellington mayoral candidate debate on National Radio's Morning Report. Admitting that her city's claim to be arts capital was "at risk", she said if Wellington was to maintain its cultural status, it needed to copy Auckland and introduce a Regional Amenities Act to ensure a larger and more equitable funding base for its arts organisation.

What I envy is that unlike here, arts and culture is such a natural and important part of the Wellington election dialogue. In contrast, the leading Auckland mayoral candidates seem to go out of their way to avoid embracing the finer things of life for fear of appearing elitist - or possibly, effete. The only chink in this culture-free armour is a token shared love of "heritage".

Both Mr Banks and Mr Brown list their desire to save the St James Theatre as proof of that.

Desire is all very well, but with the St James Theatre on its last legs during both Mr Banks' terms as Auckland mayor, what voters deserve before the polls close on Saturday week is something rather more concrete than a vague promise.

If ever there was a symbol of this town's cavalier approach to its past, it's the sad, neglected St James. Somehow we did get around to giving it a top level heritage listing according to both the criteria set down by the Historic Places Trust and Auckland City Council. But that done, we just walked away and let it decay.

Only good luck saved it from death by fire, and for several years it has sat abandoned, unsafe for human use, while vague plans for it being entombed inside a residential tower block wax and wane.

As a reminder of the city's rich theatrical past, it needs to be preserved, but to me there's an even more important and practical reason for it being resurrected. Auckland needs a 1300-seat lyric theatre to host drama, opera and ballet, shows that currently risk getting lost in the oversized 2200-plus ASB Theatre and Civic auditoriums.

In this economic climate, St James' present owner, property developer Paul Doole, has indicated the theatre is available, presumably at or around the government valuation of $11 million.

What we need to hear from the candidates is whether they're committed to buying the property as stage one of a restoration programme.

Auckland City Council's bid for siting the government's planned national convention centre around the existing Aotea Centre, cleverly incorporates the restoration of the St James in the package. In return for the ASB Theatre becoming the main convention centre auditorium, the St James, just across Queen St, will be revived as the city's premier lyric theatre. It's a pragmatic solution which satisfies both the government's desire for a centrally-sited convention centre with the urgent task of saving the old theatre.

The Cabinet is reportedly considering a report from its advisers this morning, and hopefully the chance to deliver not just a convention centre but a bonus theatre for Auckland appeals not least to Prime Minister John Key and the other Auckland ministers. But if it doesn't, that shouldn't be an excuse for Auckland's local politicians to walk away.

As our elected representatives - or soon to be so - they have inherited a responsibility to protect and restore this 1928 vintage theatre. Unfortunately, despite it being declared a city treasure, the local council has no power to force the owner to do anything.

Under the resource consent for the proposed, but now stalled, apartment tower, all that is required is that it be sealed watertight.

Some earthquake proofing and the restoration of the Queen St tower is also required if the high-rise proceeds.

Convention Centre or not, the St James needs saving now.

It will enhance Auckland's position as the cultural and arts capital of the country.

What we need is a candidate to stand up and not just declare he would be proud to lead such a city, but tell us how he plans to do that.