Topic: Waipawa Town Hall becomes the CHB Municipal Theatre
Topic type:
After two years of renovation the Central Hawke's Bay Municipal Theatre reopened its doors in late 2012. Formerly known at the Waipawa Town Hall or the Municipal Theatre the venue has now been beautifully restored.
In February 2010 Council approved the "Waipawa Municipal Theatre
Refurbishment Project" proceed in two stages, the first being Stage One
to a budget of Two million dollars ($2.0 million) starting August 2010
and second being Stage Two to a budget of Nine hundred thousand dollars
($980,000) as funds are raised.
Stage One
This focus of the project in stage one was the new main stage house,
new concert chamber stage, dressing rooms and theatre services. The
work was completed in September 2011.
Stage Two
Stage Two was the refurbishment of the historic part of the building.
This work was completed in September 2012. The theatre was officially
opened by the Honourable Chris Finlayson, Minister for Art, Culture
& Heritage on 6th October, 2012. The first users were the Waipawa
Music and Dramatic Club's production of Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up."
The theatre has been renamed the Central Hawke's Bay Municipal
Theatre by the naming sponsor Central Hawke's Bay Consumers Power Trust.