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Edition 21, Wednesday 12 June, 2024

Page 1

1909

VOL. 116

NO. 21

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WEDNESDAY JUNE 12, 2024

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PRICE $1.50 INC GST

• Door damage caused by storms on May 31 have been semirepaired by the Council.

Can we save the Lyric? • Roger McLennan in front of the Lyric Theatre where he worked when it was in its hey-day. BY RACHEL WILLIAMS SCOTTSDALE’S ICONIC Lyric Theatre risks falling into a state of disrepair if something isn’t done to restore the site to its former glory. That’s the real fear of many in the community as the King St building sits sad and idle, 100 years after hundreds of residents gathered to attend its grand opening. The building’s front doors were badly damaged in a storm two weeks ago and the top of the doors remain open to the elements. Dorset Council General Manager John Marik said council officers, along with representatives from the local SES unit, responded to a call out on Friday, May 31, after the storm damage. “Officers were unable to contact the

owner and undertook repairs to the door frame to secure the site,” Mr Marik said. The North-Eastern Advertiser has also been unable to contact the owner, Terence Walder, who purchased it from local businessman Kelly Gerke in 2010. It is understood the property was almost auctioned off by the council for unpaid rates some years ago, but Dorset Commissioner Andrew Wardlaw said council had not had any conversations with the owner in recent times about a possible sale or redevelopment options. “Council is open to discussions, with community, businesses and/or developers, on improving community amenity and would welcome any opportunity for a discussion with the property owner regarding future use of the Lyric Theatre,” Commissioner Wardlaw said. The idea of a restoration and repurposing

would be welcomed by many, including Bridport’s Roger McLennan, who worked at the theatre while finishing school in 1959-60. Mr McLennan said he was a “general dogs’ body” who helped operate the projector when the site was owned by Antonio Armellei, who also owned the next-door service station (now Cellarbrations) with Franco Morganti. “It was beautiful. The farmers would congregate out the front at intermission between the shorts and the movie and all sorts of wheelings and dealings were done buying and selling cattle,” he said. “It is very sad and disappointing it has been left to rack and ruin. We don’t have a hall other than the Mechanics’ which has limited capacity, but it would take a lot of money to do something.” Ally Mercer was involved in the nine-year

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restoration of the Mechanics’ Hall, which was bought by the James Scott Decorative Arts Society on behalf of the Dorset community, from Council for $1, with the aim of restoring it for community use. “It’s taken tens of thousands of hours of volunteer labour, two small grants and community support to get it to where it is today,” Ms Mercer said. “More than $400,000 has been invested in the hall with in-kind support and the small grants. The community now takes pride and ownership of a much-loved historic building. “Looking at the Lyric, it would be a fantastic project, but so much larger than that of the Mechanics’. “Getting something going with the Lyric is complex, it would require a very large benefactor to first purchase the building, T STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 7.

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Need expert legal advice? Contact Alex Hall today. 03 6338 2390 alex.hall@simwolf.com.au simwolf.com.au/scottsdale

Scottsdale | Launceston | Smithton | Hobart | Kingston


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