The Fine Thyme Theatre Company and Scouting Otago have both asked the Central Otago District Council if they can lease the building, which "by default" is owned by the council.
Cromwell Community Board chairman Neil Gillespie said at yesterday's board meeting if the two groups could "sort things out and work together, if we can make two parties happy ... it could be a marriage made in heaven".
Council property officer Brian Taylor said the Neplusultra Recreation Reserve, where the building is sited, was originally home to an ice skating rink, in the early 1950s. The winter sports club group which ran the rink built a clubhouse.
That building was destroyed by fire in 1966 and a new building was constructed by voluntary labour. The club went into recess and in about 1983, the building was bought by the Girl Guides Association of New Zealand, Mr Taylor said.
The association entered into a lease with the council, which expired in 2006. At that time, neither scouts nor guides were using the premises as a base and there appeared to be no chance of either group re-establishing in the town. The council then "inherited the building by default".
Later, the Fine Thyme Theatre Company was granted a five-year lease on the building, which expires later this month.
Debbie Shaw, representing the theatre company at the board meeting, said the company was keen to renew its lease. It had about 60 members and the building was becoming known as the company base.
The group wanted to own the building and was happy to work with other groups wanting to use the facility.
Although the company understood there was some "history" with regard to the building's use by the scouts and guides, it would be "a bit disappointed if the scouts get it back, as of right", she said.
Scouts New Zealand deputy zone leader for Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes, Brian Seymour, said the movement had successfully re-established itself in Cromwell and now had about 80 children and leaders. It had a cub and scout group and also hoped to start a kea group.
"The long-term future for scouts in Cromwell is looking very rosy."
The Cromwell group needed its own place as a base and wanted to lease the original guide/scout hall. It was hiring other rooms in the town at present.
If it was able to lease the building, it could work in with other groups needing rooms, Mr Seymour said.
"We have no intention of having exclusive use of the building."
