WEHL Street Theatre’s management committee has celebrated installation of upgraded seats at the historic facility.
Patrons attending the upcoming eisteddfods and performances at the theatre will notice new seating and carpet at the theatre.
This follows the Centrestage Community Theatre Committee securing $96,000 to replace the 40-year-old seats.
Thanks to the dedication of the committee members and a State Government grant, the new seats have been installed just in time for the theatre’s popular eisteddfod season.
Speech and drama kicks off late this month with choral, vocal, music and debating to follow.
Committee chairman Tony Chalinor said the roll-out of the new seating was the culmination of many hours of work by the theatre’s proponents.
When the city’s Sturt Street cinema closed due to the home video revolution, the seating was acquired and adapted for the Wehl Street Theatre.
“The seating however was already two decades old and we have been repairing them over the course of the nearly 20 years,” Mr Chalinor told The Border Watch.
While the committee had undertaken the ground work and raised money for the refurbishment, the Fund My Neighbourhood scheme arrived to catapult the project.
“It was up to us to promote ourselves locally to get that support from the city and all the users of the facility,” Mr Chalinor said.
“The committee thanks all the people in this community for taking the trouble to vote online and successfully gain the funding we need to get this project over the line.”
Not only did he thank members of the committee, but also Clare Scriven – who is now a Labor member of the Legislative Council – for helping to “fast track” the early allocation of State Government funding for the deposit.
“This allowed us to secure manufacture and installation of the seating in the window of time we had available,” Mr Chalinor said.
Wehl Street Theatre was named about 20 years ago after Dr Edward Wehl, who was a prominent member of the Mount Gambier community in the 1800s.
The community theatre started life as Mount Gambier’s first substantial primary school in 1878.
During the 1950s, the school ceased operations and its purpose was changed to what it has become today.
Mr Chalinor acknowledged Mount Gambier resident Jack Hopgood OAM for his role in the transition of the building from a school to a theatre.
Mr Hopgood – who is a World War II veteran – was recently award the prestigious Order of Australia Medal (OAM)
Mr Chalinor also thanked Mount Gambier City Council, financial donor Kate Somerfield and fellow committee members Ruth Hansard, Chris Moors and Chris Davey.
He also acknowledged the entire management committee.
The theatre’s management committee is also calling for people to volunteer during the eisteddfod program.
