Architect Bruce Dickson said the Opera House was highly regarded nationally and locally, and loved by the people of Whanganui.
The public is content with the state of the Royal Whanganui Opera House and a complete overhaul is not required, a city architect and heritage expert says.
Through its next Long-Term Plan (LTP), Whanganui District Council is proposing a $17.8 million project at the opera house that would include a new, larger stagehouse, a counterweight flying system and new and expanded theatrical systems.
According to the LTP consultation document, that would attract larger productions and more users.
Speaking during the first day of public hearings on the LTP on Tuesday, Bruce Dickson said there would need to be “an awful lot” of big productions to justify the money the council proposed to spend.
Dickson, a trustee of the Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust, was commissioned by the council to write a conservation report on the Opera House in 2015 and was the architect behind an earthquake-strengthening project in 2015 and 2016.
“My request to council is to consider another option – one between options one and two – which deals with health and safety issues and deals with the strengthening required to the gallery, the fly floor and other parts of the stage area that would allow the scaffolding to be removed,” Dickson said.
Option one in the LTP consultation document – “do nothing” – involves the council buying the scaffolding for $150,000 and option two is investing in a new counterweight flying system only, for $14.7m.
The venue’s fly floor and hemp rope system were dismantled after a health and safety audit in 2022 and scaffolding is currently in place around the perimeter of the stage.
Dickson said his proposal would take the theatre back to how it had been for many decades: a large stage area and a limited amount of stage production capacity.
“It’s highly regarded nationally and locally and it’s loved by the people of Whanganui.
“I believe they are content with the limitations it has in regards to production and the other aspects of the theatre experience.”
Dickson said building a significantly wider and higher stage house would have a detrimental effect on heritage values.
“This building will overpower the original, both physically and visually.
“Resource consent will be required and I expect considerable concern to be expressed by Heritage New Zealand, the Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust and many other organisations and individuals.
“The processes [the council] will need to go through are both lengthy and costly.”
The $17.8m project did not address issues in the front-of-house – “the patron area” – which would need to be improved to host bigger events, he said.
Heating, cooling and ventilation were inadequate and entry, circulation spaces and the bar were too small.
“The toilet provisions are on one level only and there are a number of compliance issues not resolved, especially disabled persons’ access.”
He said Timaru District Council would be spending $57m on upgrading the Theatre Royal and the Whanganui council could end up spending a similar amount for a full upgrade of the Opera House.
“It may be a bit less [than Timaru] but it’s still a considerable outlay to bring this theatre to a point where it’s capable of taking national, touring productions.
“Are people going to go to it? Is the amount of money justifiable?
“This is a wonderful asset in Whanganui, a marvellous old theatre. It has limitations and I believe the people of Whanganui accept those. All they need is to have their stage back to where it can operate as it’s done before.”
Option four in the LTP consultation document – a full upgrade including front-of-house improvements – is estimated to cost $34.7m.
The council’s preferred $17.8m option includes the possibility of $8.9m in external funding, a figure Dickson said was “very ambitious and highly unachievable”.
“Lotteries is normally one [organisation] that councils like this would go to. They funded the replacement seating in the Opera House in the last project that was done.
“But funding is becoming more restricted from these kinds of organisations and would require the support of Heritage New Zealand.
“I would be surprised if Heritage New Zealand would be comfortable with the concept of pulling that 125-year-old stage down and replacing it with a much larger building.”
More than 120 people have chosen to speak at the public hearings on the LTP, with hearings continuing on May 15, 16 and 22. The hearings are being held in the Council Chamber at 101 Guyton St and livestreamed on the council’s website and Facebook page. The LTP has attracted a record 1600 submissions.
Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.