Subiaco Theatre Centre given interim, heritage listing

3/2/98

The State Government has moved to protect the heritage value of one of Subiaco's most cherished civic buildings, the Subiaco Theatre Centre.

The Hamersley Road building, set in an impressive park, will be placed on the Heritage Council of Western Australia's interim register of heritage places.

Heritage Minister Graham Kierath said the Theatre Centre had played an important part in the development of the City of Subiaco.

"It has been a crucial part of the social life of the Subiaco community, first as a civic hall and then as a theatre centre," Mr Kierath said.

"It reflects the civic pride and independent spirit of Subiaco and its innovative design is highly regarded."

Mr Kierath said the construction of the two-storey building had its genesis in the earliest days of the establishment of the municipality of Subiaco.

He said Subiaco was declared a municipality in 1897, but that it suffered from isolation and a chronic shortage of amenities.

"The community decided to take its fate into its own hands and in 1903 built its own power plant," the Minister said.

"The power plant was a source of great pride and it supplied power at the cheapest rate in Western Australia.

"Subiaco was forced to close the power plant in 1923 and take supply from the government powerhouse. The council purchased bulk power and distributed it through local substations.

"By 1950, profit from this scheme was more than 5,000 pounds a year. Unfortunately for Subiaco, the State Government compulsorily acquired the power distribution system and the local council negotiated for compensation."

Mr Kierath said the Subiaco Council had wanted a suitably grand town hall and civic centre for many years but had put the idea on hold because of the Depression and World War Two.

In 1953, the council received 120,000 pounds compensation for the lost power plant and decided to put 100,000 pounds into the civic centre.

"The 1950s was a period of great development and renewal for Subiaco, with old houses demolished to make way for more modern units, shops and offices," Mr Kierath said.

"With the declaration of Subiaco as a city in 1952, people wanted a modern community and the design of the new civic hall reflected contemporary ideas of modernity.

"When it was opened in 1957, the civic hall was described as 'an ultra modern building of the latest architectural design'."

In its first 10 months of operation, the hall held 25 balls, 13 weddings, 45 dances and 29 other functions. The new civic hall made the old council chambers look dowdy and they were replaced in 1968.

Use of the civic hall gradually diminished and in 1984 it was converted to the Subiaco Theatre Centre by the Public Works Department at a cost of $350,000.

The Perth Theatre Trust has a peppercorn rent deal up until 2004.

Mr Kierath said although the emphasis in Subiaco was now on the restoration of old homes and village-style living, the Subiaco Theatre Centre was an important part of the city's latter-day heritage.

Media Contact: Donna Cole 9481 7810