Brian Rudman: Saving Old Vic gives Shoreites chance to redress balance

North Shoreites seem to enjoy their culture as much as the rest of us. More probably, because they get it on the cheap, thanks to the generosity of the Auckland City ratepayers who fund the theatres, art galleries, orchestras and other performing groups they flock across the harbour to enjoy.

Now, with the Victoria Theatre, Devonport, they have a chance to begin rebalancing the ledger and investing a fairer share in Greater Auckland's arts infrastructure. In so doing, they also have the chance to protect a heritage landmark, the oldest purpose-built cinema still standing in New Zealand according to the comprehensive conservation plan prepared by Salmond-Reed Architects.

Since it was built in 1912, Devonport's Old Vic has been through a fair few makeovers, reflecting the advances in technology and tastes within the entertainment industry over a century, and the ups and down of economic life. Somehow it has survived - just - while almost all of its suburban and down-town contemporaries have not.

But it's not so much as a museum piece that it deserves saving from the ignominy of becoming a block of flats. To me, it's more that it still has plenty to offer as a potential performing and entertainment centre, and Auckland is so short of such facilities it can ill-afford losing any more, however dilapidated they might appear.

The proposal before North Shore City is that it buy the building and pay for some basic maintenance work such as reroofing and installing a disabled lift, and then lease it to the local enthusiasts currently keeping the place ticking over, the Victoria Theatre Trust.

The present owner is willing to accept $1.55 million for the property, which seems a bargain given Quotable Value's 2005 valuation of $2.8 million. The trust estimates that the new roof etc will bring the cost up to $2 million. Of this cost, $500,000 could come from the Narrow Neck Endowment Fund, which is available to fund such projects within the Devonport area.

The trust is already breathing new life into the building, running movies and shows in the 306-seater and 270-seater cinemas and has, dare I use the word, a vision or two for what might be. Part of that involves voluntary activity. Trust chair Sarah Burren already has a group showing interest in upgrading the seating. Further away is a grand plan to remove more recent "improvements" to give a 400-seater performing space for cinema or theatre plus an intimate 70-seater cinema.

Before the council hearings, which continue today, the city received 4579 written submissions, of which 70 per cent supported the council purchasing the building. Just under half came from Devonport residents, of which 91 per cent were in favour. Submitters from the rest of the city were less enthusiastic, some opponents writing, "Let Devonport residents buy it, as they are the ones that want it" and "Who will pay for the maintenance?"

As an Auckland City ratepayer who doesn't begrudge some of my rates going on institutions that make a city worth living in - and I include sports fields, which I never use, and the Aotea Centres and libraries and so on - could I suggest the whiners in North Shore who say Devonport should pay, think about getting a life.

How short-sightedly parochial can you get? The Victoria Theatre is not just a Devonport asset, it's a North Shore asset and an Auckland asset. And surely the community lucky enough to have such an asset in their midst should be the ones to care for it, be proud of it, and make good use of it.

Auckland Festival chief executive David Malacari emphasises Victoria Theatre's importance to greater Auckland in a letter of support for its redevelopment. He politely doesn't mention the miserable $5000 grant from North Shore towards last year's festival, but says "because of its close proximity and ferry services, Devonport is in an ideal location to present festival events and to relate them closely to the festival programme in Auckland". Greater Auckland "lacks sufficient spaces for the presentation of intimate work" and a new Devonport venue "would give the festival additional flexibility in its programming and better foster the development of local artists and independent productions".

As I implied at the start, North Shore City culture vultures have been feeding off Auckland City's generosity for decades. Saving Victoria Theatre would be a small step towards redressing the balance.