I have been a ratepayer for almost 30 years, and a resident for 23 years. I believe that the residents and ratepayers have spent enough money on that building (now the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre).
The building should be demolished and the land sold to the highest bidder.The leaders should then approach Malcolm Short, an acknowledged leader of the local tribe who has achieved great progress for the locals, and ask him to put an appendage on the magnificent development on the lakefront.
This theatre will then have a beautiful setting, the seating capacities to be decided by the leaders. The theatre will not need toilets, restaurant or any other infrastructure as this will be provided by the major building.
This appendage will get all the monies obtained from the sale of the land, plus all the contributions from all sources.
The theatre can then be dedicated to Sergeant Haane Manahi a local war hero, Sir Howard Morrison an entertainer, mayor Stevie Chadwick and any other person of importance.
Where the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is NATO, could our Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre be SHAMPAC, with a whiff of the SAC Strategic Air Command about it?
