> Opera House a treasured part of Oamaru's history
The Opera House is a living record of Oamaru's history.
Since its official opening on October 7, 1907, it has been the scene of sadness and elation; the centre of significant events in Oamaru and North Otago.
Soldiers going to World Wars 1 and 2 were bid farewell from it, some of them never to return.
It has also been the scene of celebration - students gathering to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953, then shouting themselves hoarse at news Edmund Hillary had conquered Mt Everest.
National and local politicians have argued their case for elections there, including the indomitable Sir Robert Muldoon, whose party faithful said one of his meetings attracted about 2000, when the auditorium only seated about 750.
Dame Nellie Melba sang there, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Company have performed there.
Entertainment has ranged from boxing to opera.
It has shown "moving pictures", staged school performances and been the home for productions by the Oamaru Operatic Society.
But, in recent years, it has deteriorated.
A leaking roof threatened its very structure, the original construction no longer meets safety regulations, disabled access fails modern standards and its magnificent auditorium with its fancy plaster dome and sloping stage became impractical for modern productions.
Dressing rooms had become squalid and equipment such as winches and sound systems became dangerously outdated.
The Opera House owners, the Waitaki District Council, faced difficult choices, with options from basic repairs (with little use) through to a major restoration and redevelopment to create a performing arts, conference and function centre.
In an ambitious project, it opted for the latter and took on a $9.7 million project.
The aim was to complete the project without having to add the cost to ratepayers' bills.
That was achieved this week with the announcement of up to $3.73 million in funding from the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board's significant projects fund - taking fund-raising to about $10 million.
The February 2007 decision to award the contract to De Geest Construction was controversial.
Some individuals and the group Concerned Citizens and Ratepayers of Waitaki feared the project cost would fall back on ratepayers.
The redevelopment will be funded by: Waitaki District Council (property sales), $3 million; Lottery Board (various funds), up to $4.7 million; Community Trust of Otago, $1.5 million; Oamaru Licensing Trust, $306,000; other grants, donations, $500,000.
The birth of the Opera House was also not without controversy.
The Oamaru Borough Council chambers and offices were on the corner of Itchen and Thames Sts, now Jones' Park.
The entertainment centre was the Theatre Royal, on the corner of Coquet and Thames Sts.
>Opera House a treasured part of Oamaru's history
The Theatre Royal opened in 1883. It was later sold and became the North Otago Farmers' Co-operative department store.
Years later, it burned down, to be replaced by what is now the Countdown supermarket.
Growth of Oamaru also put pressure on the council's offices.
The town needed new municipal offices, a council chamber and town hall, an idea put to New Zealand Premier Dick Seddon when he visited Oamaru in June 1905.
The Government agreed to make land available between the Oamaru courthouse and the Waitaki County Council offices on Thames St for the new building.
It also agreed to fund a loan of 4000 at 4% over 41 years.
As with council now, then Mayor Robert Mulligan promised the building would be self-funded without rates rising.
There was some opposition to the proposal and a call for a vote.
A poll was favourable.
In December 1905, the council called for competitive designs for what was named "the Oamaru Municipal Town Hall and Opera House".
Architects from around New Zealand submitted 12 designs, and the "Scotia" concept from Oamaru architect J.
M. Forrester was selected.
Plans were finalised, but the controversy did not end there.
Councillors Vernor, Fraser, King and Rose resigned over the project.
Two reasons were cited - that issues had not been consulted on sufficiently and matters had been concluded in an unbusiness-like manner - and were reminiscent of the protests over the current project.
There were also arguments over whether the frontage of the building should be a single- or two-storey.
Plans show designs for both. The cost of the second storey was a stumbling block, although a poll supported it. There were 45 votes for one storey and 398 for two storeys.
It was W.G. Grave, who had raised money for the Boer War monument, who again came to the rescue, raising funds to build the second storey.
There were 13 tenders to build the Opera House. Oamaru contractors H. Winsley and Sons won the contract.
The original tender of 6413 was for a single-storey frontage. When the decision was made to go ahead with two storeys, the contract totalled 10,600.
The actual date contractors moved on to the site is not recorded, but by November 1906, work was under way.
By September, the council was calling for tenants to occupy office space. Wright Stephenson Ltd and legal firm Lee, Grave and Grave were the first.
The building was officially opened on October 7, 1907. The hall was opened for public inspection with official photographs outside the main entrance.
That was followed by a luncheon at the Star and Garter Hotel with an hour and a-half of speeches and frequent toasts throughout the meal.
That night, a concert was held. There was not a full house, some people waiting to attend other entertainment fixtures during the opening week.
