Marian Street Theatre: proposal to sell off site for developers sparks backlash among theatre supporters

A north shore councillor says a proposed $22m redevelopment of a historic north shore theatre is a ‘want, not a need’ as he calls for the entire project to be scrapped. But theatre supporters have hit back.

A decade-long saga over a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of a historic north shore theatre has taken a new turn with a local councillor calling for the entire project to be scrapped and the site sold off to developers.

Supporters of a proposal to redevelop Marian Street Theatre say they have been left “aghast” at a proposal by Ku-ring-gai councillor Cedric Spencer for the council to rezone the former performing arts hub for high rise housing and list it for sale via public auction.

The redevelopment has been in the works for almost a decade after the doors of the council-owned site closed to live performances in 2013 for urgent upgrades to address its deteriorating state.

A report by Ku-ring-gai Council in June revealed the cost of rebuilding of the site has topped $21.9 million – a $5.7 million increase from the $16.3 million council forecast in 2020.

Cr Spencer said the project no longer represented “value for money” and believed the council would be better off using the funds to fix potholes, footpaths and other core infrastructure.

The upgrade has been in the works for almost a decade.

He also raised concerns over the business case for the project, which council documents show would require $700,000 in annual “operational subsidies” once the theatre is up and running.

“I have supported the theatre for many years, but at the end of the day the theatre is a tenant of a council building and we have gone above and beyond for them,” he said. “It’s not like I’m killing off the theatre or cultural heritage – there is no theatre because that building has been shut for over 10 years.

A concept plan of the upgrade

“It’s too expensive for ratepayers when we have a shoestring budget for footpaths and other essential infrastructure – those are needs, the theatre is a want.

“As far as I’m concerned if we proceed with the project we’ll go broke and I won’t ascribe my name to it.”

A key sticking point for the project is the reliance on the sale of council assets to fund the redevelopment including the sale of the former Gordon and East Roseville bowling club sites which have been earmarked for new housing.

The proposal to sell off the former Gordon Bowling Club has sparked staunch opposition and campaigns from residents who believe the site should be retained for community use.

The project would include a main theatre auditorium space with 249 seats;

Cr Spencer argued the sale of the Marian Street Theatre could net the council about $40 million which could be used to repurpose the bowling club as open space, as well as funding essential works and an alternative theatre as part of the proposed Turramurra Hub community project.

Support Marian St Theatre member John Townend has hit out at the proposal to sell off the site, saying it would leave local theatre performers who are currently using schools and public to perform without a dedicated venue in the local government area.

John Townend (right) is a supporter of the project.

“It’s the only functioning community theatre in Ku-ring-gai and there are a lot of people in the community who rely on it,” he said.

“The price concerns me enormously but the idea of selling it is a disgrace.

“The architects have completed their plans, the development application is approved and the project is effectively shovel ready.

“What we need to see is genuine, concrete steps taken to identify the funding alternatives to pay for the renovation and to bring live theatre back to the upper north shore.”

Ku-ring-gai councillor Cedric Spencer.

“The council bought that site about 10 years ago and it has remained empty for most of that time and could be sold to pay for this and other important cultural facilities,” he said.

Prior to the last curtain call, the theatre had operated for more than 40 years and was previously a public hall, operating since 1906.

As previously reported by the North Shore Times, the council has flagged a likelihood of further cost escalations with the upgrade, largely driven by industry wide issues arising from supply chain constraints and labour shortages, along with the challenges of redeveloping an “old theatre building”.

The council has already spent $1.4 million in costs relating to the development to date – despite no major physical works taking place.