Home : News
: $2.5m cheque for Opera House 
30 June
The Hawke’s Bay Opera House and Precinct received a huge financial boost yesterday as Prime Minister Helen Clark presented Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule with a cheque for $2.5 million.
The Hastings District Council has been granted the money as part of the government’s Significant Community Based Project Fund. The Opera House is one of six projects to share in $19.3 million from the first funding round of the newly created fund to cater for large projects such as the Opera House.
Prime Minister Helen Clark announced the grant at a special
function at the Opera House on Thursday. Helen Clark told
the gathering it was great to be able to add “the
last brick in the wall, after so much work had been done
already by the community to get all their funding ducks in
a row.”
She went on to say the upgrade not only preserved a great building, but created a major cultural centre for Hawke’s Bay.
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule says he was absolutely delighted with the grant, which will allow the council to finish creating a first class national and international venue. The upgrade has seen the 1915 theatre richly restored to its former glory.
In March this year the newly refurbished Opera House was officially opened, with the upgrading and strengthening of the Opera House unveiled, along with a new entrance foyer and plaza, and upgrading of the adjoining Quinney’s building, which will eventually house a café or restaurant.
The project has included additional structural strengthening, extra seating comfort, a new power transformer, enhanced sound equipment and air conditioning, as well as an expanded orchestra pit.
The next stage includes adding a retractable roof over the Plaza area, refurbishing the Municipal Buildings (Assembly Hall and Shakespeare Room) and completing street works primarily on Hastings St.
For more information
Jessica Soutar BarronCommunications Officer
(06) 878 0510 ex. 8629
027 275 5205
