City councillors were keen to make progress yesterday on matters that have become vexed.
Some clarity emerged from the Dunedin City Council’s deliberations on its 2023-24 draft annual plan.
The Carnegie Centre in Moray Pl appears to be out of the running to host a theatre development, and what to do about live music has been set aside as a largely separate issue to the needs of performing arts.
Little headway has been made on how $17.1 million put in the 2021-31 long-term plan for development of a mid-sized theatre might best be spent.
Councillors were looking to correct this yesterday and attempted to restore momentum to the problematic project.
The council was unanimous in calling for a report updating the work that had been undertaken relating to the $17.1 million.
This was not explicitly related to a decision to give the Dunedin Theatre Network $100,000 to help it produce costed design options for work on the Playhouse, Mayfair and Athenaeum buildings.
The council voted 11-4 for the $100,000 to be allocated from its property budget.
It will also develop a memorandum of understanding with the theatre network.
Cr Christine Garey said choosing not to give the theatre network the $100,000 would have been "a kick in the guts for our performing arts sector".
"We are moving forward to get the information we need," Cr Garey said.
Cr Andrew Whiley said he wanted to see progress.
"Let’s give the theatre community hope something is going to happen," he said.
Cr Carmen Houlahan, who voted against the $100,000 for the theatre network, said she was disappointed with what had resulted from $300,000 spent on Charcoalblue consultancy reports and she was worried about the potential for going "round and round in circles again".
Cr Houlahan emphasised there was strong community perception the $17.1 million was to assist professional theatre, after the 2018 closure of the Fortune Theatre.
Cr Steve Walker said a clear way forward must emerge from the work to be carried out before the council’s 2024-34 long-term plan.
Cr Lee Vandervis was wary of placing too much emphasis on the needs of theatre operatives.
"We need a theatre that will serve the Dunedin public," he said.
Council chief executive Sandy Graham said the Carnegie Centre would require significant adjustment to the building to make it suitable, including new lifts.
The vote
How the council voted on a proposal to put $100,000 towards helping the Dunedin Theatre Network explore costed design options for a mid-sized theatre. —
For (11) Against (4)
Mayor Jules Radich Carmen Houlahan
Bill Acklin Cherry Lucas
Sophie Barker Jim O’Malley
David Benson-Pope Lee Vandervis
Christine Garey
Kevin Gilbert
Marie Laufiso
Mandy Mayhem
Steve Walker
Brent Weatherall
Andrew Whiley
