College's bid for theatre in doubt

Mount Maunganui College's plea for money from the city to build a performing arts complex has limped over the first hurdle _ but councillors have clashed on the issue.
Councillors yesterday debated whether to support the project though the overwhelming message was that the college had not provided anywhere near enough information to gain initial backing for funding.
Members of the Monitoring Forum were told the college wants to build a performing arts centre costing up to $3 million on the front of its Maunganui Rd site and that community use would take precedence over student use.
The college would provide $700,000 but would need a "high level" of council investment and would also look at other funding sources.
The college approached the council in 2005 and asked if it would enter into a community share agreement for a performing arts centre that would cater for audiences of about 350.
The council's response was to carry out an evaluation of performing arts facilities in Tauranga, the results of which were presented to councillors yesterday.
Consultation revealed Tauranga needed either a smaller venue with 300 seats or a larger one with 1000 seats.
Mount Maunganui College principal Terry Collett told councillors there was no performing arts facility in Mount Maunganui or Papamoa and that his college's proposal was a robust one.
But Cr Greg Brownless said that if the council supported Mount College then it would have to back projects at other colleges in Tauranga. He said that if the college was going to use the facility then the Ministry of Education should fund it.
Creative Tauranga chief executive Tracey Rudduck warned that people would not go to schools to use performing arts facilities though Cr Rick Curach said having the centre on the front of the college site would help to overcome this obstacle.
But Cr Curach said the council should be looking to support a project at Papamoa where the future residential growth would be.
While Cr Terry Molloy said he was not convinced there was a need at the Mount for the facility.
Other concerns raised by councillors included security of the facility for outside groups, availability to the community and who would pay for operating losses.
Monitoring Forum chairman David Stewart said there were lots of questions that needed to be answered about the proposed project but said the council needed a good reason to throw it out.
"The school needs a reply. If it did go further it would need to go through the funding process," Cr Stewart said.
Mr Collett said the college had been waiting for the council report on performing arts provision in Tauranga before it committed itself to further study.
Council strategic planner Cheryl Steiner said she would be in contact with the college and would report back to the Monitoring Forum in April.
However, Cr Murray Guy said the council had no mandate from the community to support the proposed project.
Cr Guy said the council should reject the appeal for funding.
He also said that discussing the project would take up staff time.