North Shore City to buy old Devonport cinema

The North Shore City Council has decided to buy Devonport's Victoria Theatre for $1.55 million and let a charitable trust run it as a cinema and performing arts centre.

Deputy mayor Dianne Hale said yesterday's decision showed the council was willing to "put its money where its mouth was" when it came to preserving the city's heritage.

Surprise support came from Mayor George Wood, who last year questioned the value of spending $80,000 on a special test of public views.

But yesterday Mr Wood said the city had few buildings left from early last century, and if the council walked away the theatre would fall to demolition hammers.

The fresh option of having a trust owning, running, upgrading and maintaining the building also assured him that there would be a firewall between council and the operational expenses.

Councillors Julia Parfitt and Margaret Miles said they were also reassured by the promise of a trust being formed by people with sound expertise.

Sarah Burren, of the Victoria Theatre Trust which has lobbied the council for two years to buy the building, said the decision gave opportunities for funding and advice outside the council.

It was hoped to reopen the theatre in its former glory before 2012.

High demand for shows meant the building would stay open until works started.

The council will borrow $1,050,000 and Devonport's Narrowneck Endowment Fund will provide $500,000.

The purchase will push the city's 2006-07 rates requirement up by 0.2 per cent to 9 per cent.

The theatre is an A-listed building in the District Plan.

A heritage assessment report says the theatre was built in 1912 for American entrepreneur John Leon Banwell.

A major alteration in 1929 gave the building a distinctive art deco style, but left little of the 1912 building.

In 1989 the cinema was converted into two smaller ones, and in 1994 further renovation gave a third cinema.

Since 2003 the theatre has not been used regularly as a cinema and has deteriorated through lack of repair.

Victoria Theatre Trust has a North Shore Heritage Trust grant to get a conservation plan drawn up.

An earthquake-strengthening cost of $500,000 is "a starting figure" says a report by Lewis and Williamson Consulting Engineers.

A report on the building's condition said it needed $18,000 of immediate repairs and $192,000 for maintenance.

It assessed the yearly maintenance bill at $42,000.