Mike van der Boom,
mayoral candidate
WHAKATANE District Council is preparing to spend almost $10 million upgrading the Whakatane War Memorial Centre at Rex Morpeth Park, but a mayoral hopeful reckons building a new theatre and conference centre is a better idea.
In a press release, mayoral and council candidate Mike van der Boom said while he supported upgrading the war memorial centre, he would like to see the community involved in the process of deciding what the $9.8 million investment could look like.
“I was invited to a stakeholder meeting late last year that included representatives from Sport Bay of Plenty, Little Theatre and the Chamber of Commerce. We all agreed on the glaringly obvious best-case scenario of splitting the arts, theatre and music side from the sports facilities.”
Mr van der Boom said since then he had been thinking about what that scenario could look like.
“I have this idea that we move the Little Theatre out of the building altogether, leaving more space to develop a larger stadium that could be used for the community and also to attract big sporting events like top flight netball, basketball and volleyball.
“Meanwhile, the little theatre could become a big theatre with conference facilities. Increase the seating capacity and set up, so we can host events like concerts, NZ Ballet or NZ Symphony Orchestra.
“Bands looking for gig venues wouldn’t be restricted to playing in our pubs. Little Theatre and school productions could be held over fewer nights. I think the ideal location would be next to the central business district, maybe on some of the harbour lease land.
“Imagine being able to go out for dinner before a performance, walking to the theatre, and then wandering down the road for a coffee or a few drinks afterward.
“This could really stimulate a more vibrant night life, not just for the young but all age groups. The cafes and bars would really benefit, perhaps to a level where more staff were required, stimulating employment.
“I know this is just my vision, but let’s talk about the options as a community before we embark on a patch up project at Rex Morpeth Park.”
Council public affairs manager Ross Boreham said he could not provide details of the war memorial centre project because it was the subject of a feasibility study.
“It would not be appropriate to comment in detail until that report is available.”