Hamilton City Council decided to demolish the Founders Theatre at the full council meeting last week. Photo / Supplied
Hamilton City Council decided to demolish the Founders Theatre at the full council meeting last week. Photo / Supplied
The final act for Founders Theatre has been decided as Hamilton City Council sticks to its plan to transform the site into a community space and multi-purpose park.
The full council meeting last week confirmed the resolution of the community committee to decline the Theatre of the Impossible Trust's (TOTI) alternative proposal to repurpose the building into a community hub.
An amendment to look at gifting the building to TOTI was out-voted by the community committee in April.
Those for the amendment were councillors Gallagher, O'Leary, Macpherson and Wilson, while Mayor Southgate, deputy mayor Taylor, councillors Bunting, Hamilton, Naidoo-Rauf, Pascoe, van Oosten, Thomson and Donovan were opposed.
The council says it admired the visions of TOTI to rejuvenate the theatre, however, their business case lacked evidence of external funding.
Mayor Paula Southgate said previously that the council didn't get the certainty it needed.
"We had asked for a fully-costed business case, but unfortunately that was not forthcoming ... There was simply not the confidence in the room that TOTI's proposal was viable given there were no funding sources identified."
Former Hamilton mayor and chairwoman of the TOTI trust, Margaret Evans, said after the committee meeting that the trust disputes this.
Former Hamilton mayor and TOTI Trust chairwoman Margaret Evans is still not giving up on the Founders Theatre. Photo / Supplied
"We think we produced a robust business case. We talked to professionals in the field and it would cost between $7 and $10 million to repurpose the building. Talking to funders, we think we can get the full $10 million.
"[But] we needed the formal approval for the building from the council so that we can confirm users and funders, but the council refused to give us this approval."
The Founders Theatre site upgrade project has been allocated $4.008m in year 2 as part of the 2021-31 Long-Term Plan approved in May last year.
The council has not given a date yet as to when work on the Founders transformation is set to begin.
The proposed park will include purpose-built facilities to meet the needs of the community and a special interpretation of its historic significance, the reinstatement of its fountains and space for open-air performances.
Those voting to reaffirm the previous decision were Mayor Southgate, deputy mayor Taylor, councillors Bunting, Hamilton, Naidoo-Rauf, Pascoe, van Oosten, Thomson, and Donovan.
Councillors Gallagher, O'Leary, Macpherson and Wilson were opposed.
The decision comes after the theatre, which opened in 1962, had to close in 2016 due to significant safety concerns.
Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate said the business case made by TOTI did not provide the certainty the council needed. Photo / Supplied
Also at the council meeting, all councillors gave the green light for council staff to prepare a business case for the future of the Celebrating Age Centre at the south end of Victoria St.
The councillors agreed the business case will be an exciting way to explore a fit-for-purpose space for older people in the heart of our city.
The councillors requested that staff work with Age Concern, the Age-Friendly City group and users of the Celebrating Age Centre, to work out the needs of Hamilton's ageing citizens prior to developing a business case.
Once developed, the business case will be considered as part of the 2023-24 Annual Plan.
