Onkaparinga Council pitches bid to save Hopgood Theatre

IT may not be the final curtain for Hopgood Theatre if Onkaparinga Council can convince the State Government to keep it open as a council-run enterprise.

IT may not be the final curtain for Hopgood Theatre if Onkaparinga Council can convince the State Government to keep it open as a council-run enterprise.

Mayor Lorraine Rosenberg and chief executive Mark Dowd met with Industry and Skills Minister David Pisoni last week to discuss the Noarlunga Centre theatre’s future.

The purpose of the meeting was to put forward a case for it to be leased by the council.

Onkaparinga’s director of community relations Philomena Taylor told the Southern Times Messenger that the council wanted the theatre to remain open.

“There are many factors that will influence whether or not we will be able to achieve that,” Ms Taylor said.

“We’re in the very early stages of discussions regarding the theatre, exploring many options to try and find the best solution.”

She could not say how much this would cost the council as “that would depend on the option chosen, the parties involved, and available funding”.

Mr Pisoni would not say what he thought of the council’s proposal but reiterated that the State Government had provided 12 months funding while “a transition plan is implemented to secure its long-term future”.

Country Arts SA has been managing the theatre, in Ramsay Place, since 2008.

So far, it has been unable to negotiate its usual funding as part of a new five-year agreement.

It costs about $200,000 a year to run the venue.

There has been community uproar at the prospect of losing the south’s beloved theatre over the past few months with former Australian Idol host and ’70s pop star Mark Holden pushing for it to be saved and 300 locals attending a community meeting in August about its future.