Orange Civic Centre

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(Created page with 'After many years of civic service from the Town Hall in Anson Street, the City Council began to look towards a new Civic Centre complex in the 1950s. On Tuesday, April 8, 1958, c…')
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After many years of civic service from the Town Hall in Anson Street, the City Council began to look towards a new Civic Centre complex in the 1950s.
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After many years of civic service from the [[Town Hall]] in Anson Street, the City Council began to look towards a new Civic Centre complex in the 1950s. On Tuesday, April 8, 1958, council's building committee recommended to Council that it authorise architects to prepare working plans for the new civic centre in Byng Street opposite Robertson Park. The first stage of the new centre, including administrative block and council chambers was estimated to cost ₤138,000 with the second stage to be constructed later. A fire in May, 1963, extensively damaged part of an old two-storey building diagonally opposite the Court House. The building was then torn down and the grounds were added to Council's Civic Centre site.
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On Tuesday, April 8, 1958, council's building committee recommended to Council that it authorise architects to prepare working plans for the new civic centre in Byng Street opposite Robertson Park.
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The first stage of the new centre, including administrative block and council chambers was estimated to cost 138,000 pounds with the second stage to be constructed later.
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Orange moved much closer to a civic centre when Mayor Fred Dobbin revealed in May, 1972, that the State Government had offered additional finance for the project.Preliminary plans by the NSW Government Architect for the proposed centre were submitted to City Council on October 3. These plans showed the centre as being part of a combined Commonwealth, State and local government office complex on the corner of Byng Street and Lords Place. Mayor Dobbin said the plans were only preliminary sketches and much discussion from all parties was needed.
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A fire in May, 1963, extensively damaged part of an old two-storey building diagonally opposite the Court House. The building was then torn down and the grounds were added to Council's Civic Centre site.
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Orange moved much closer to a civic centre when Mayor Fred Dobbin revealed in May, 1972, that the State Government had offered additional finance for the project.
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Plans for a joint project were scuttled in March, 1973, when the State Government decided it would build a State Office Block on the corner of Anson and Kite streets at a cost of around $1 million. The Government cited lack of finance by Council and the Commonwealth as well as problems involved in planning a combined civic project as the reason for its decision. It also stated that this had left the way clear for Council to develop its own plans for the development of the Byng Street site as the site of its Council Chambers and planned auditorium. About a month later Mayor [[Fred Dobbin]] announced that Council had been given approval to raise $900,000 for a new civic centre with the loan raising to be conducted between 1973 and 1976. At the same time the State also agreed to remove the condition that it be a joint Commonwealth-Council project.
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Preliminary plans by the NSW Government Architect for the proposed centre were submitted to City Council on October 3. These plans showed the centre as being part of a combined Commonwealth, State and local government office complex on the corner of Byng Street and Lords Place. Mayor Dobbin said the plans were only preliminary sketches and much discussion from all parties was needed.
+
 
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Plans for a joint project were scuttled in March, 1973, when the State Government decided it would build a State Office Block on the corner of Anson and Kite streets at a cost of around $1 million. The Government cited lack of finance by Council and the Commonwealth as well as problems involved in planning a combined civic project as the reason for its decision. It also stated that this had left the way clear for Council to develop its own plans for the development of the Byng Street site as the site of its council chambers and planned auditorium.
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About a month later Mayor Fred Dobbin announced that Council had been given approval to raise $900,000 for a new civic centre with the loan raising to be conducted between 1973 and 1976. At the same time the State also agreed to remove the condition that it be a joint Commonwealth-Council project.
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Work on the new Civic Centre, estimated to cost $2.1 million, started on May 23, 1974, when contracts were signed for the construction of the pile foundations at a cost of $66,291. The contractors drilling rig arrived on the site almost immediately.
Work on the new Civic Centre, estimated to cost $2.1 million, started on May 23, 1974, when contracts were signed for the construction of the pile foundations at a cost of $66,291. The contractors drilling rig arrived on the site almost immediately.
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The final City Council meeting in the Town Hall was held in July, 1976, with Council officially moving into the new Civic Centre on August 2. During the final Town Hall meeting Mayor Ron Thomas said the first meeting at that building had been on April 3, 1888.
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The final City Council meeting in the Town Hall was held in July, 1976, with Council officially moving into the new Civic Centre on August 2. During the final Town Hall meeting Mayor [[Ron Thomas]] said the first meeting at that building had been on April 3, 1888.
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The Civic Centre was officially opened by NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler on Saturday, October 9, 1976. The centre was divided into three main sections - administrative offices and council chambers, pubic forum and function rooms, and theatre and foyer. The fully-carpeted raked theatre provided seating for 495 people in 'continental' seating without any centre aisle.
The Civic Centre was officially opened by NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler on Saturday, October 9, 1976. The centre was divided into three main sections - administrative offices and council chambers, pubic forum and function rooms, and theatre and foyer. The fully-carpeted raked theatre provided seating for 495 people in 'continental' seating without any centre aisle.
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The centre was built by Kell and Rigby, and architects were Lund, Hutton, Ryan and Morton. The front of the building was grassed with grown turf sods from Cowra and a 12-year-old magnolia donated by council staff member Mrs V Lewis was planted on the corner of the block while well established silver birch, weeping cherries and other trees were systematically planted along with more than 400 shrubs.
The centre was built by Kell and Rigby, and architects were Lund, Hutton, Ryan and Morton. The front of the building was grassed with grown turf sods from Cowra and a 12-year-old magnolia donated by council staff member Mrs V Lewis was planted on the corner of the block while well established silver birch, weeping cherries and other trees were systematically planted along with more than 400 shrubs.
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The first director-manager of the Civic Centre and Theatre was John Young who organised an opening festival with 11 different attractions. There was a Night of Stars on opening night, performances by puppeteer Richard Bradshaw, the Benelong Trio, Don Burrows Quintet, school concerts, a documentary film 'Lailai', the Dance Company (NSW), Shakespeare's Hamlet performed by Mitchell College students, soprano Marilyn Richardson, Canadian Mime Theatre and The Sentimental Bloke.
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The Night of Stars was televised by CBN-8 and featured a number of local and visiting artists.
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Sir Roden opened the $4.5 million complex at 3pm outside the theatre entrance. He unveiled a plaque which was later placed on the wall of the public forum. A fair was held in [[Robertson Park]] in conjunction with the opening with carnival attractions and stalls. Unfortunately the weather was shocking with rain, hail and biting winds, but the day went on regardless with thousands of people in attendance. Among the guests were Orange's oldest residents, who had been specially invited. Oldest resident present was Mr [[Joe Floyd]], 97.
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Sir Roden opened the $4.5 million complex at 3pm outside the theatre entrance. He unveiled a plaque which was later placed on the wall of the public forum. A fair was held in Robertson Park in conjunction with the opening with carnival attractions and stalls. Unfortunately the weather was shocking with rain, hail and biting winds, but the day went on regardless with thousands of people in attendance. Among the guests were Orange's oldest residents, who had been specially invited. Oldest resident present was Mr Joe Floyd, 97.
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An addition to the Civic Centre facilities in 1978 was the Billboard Restaurant operating in the forum while the Mona Hessing wall hanging was also unveiled in the forum.
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The next development in Civic Square was construction of Orange Visitors Centre with the $190,000 building opened by Minister for Tourism Ken Booth on October 27, 1979.
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Council decided on October 7, 1982, that it would proceed with a $3.5 million library and art gallery complex for Civic Square, behind the Visitors Centre. Two aldermen, Dan Perry and Margaret Stevenson, were opposed to the proposal, suggesting that the city could not afford a new building and should add another storey to the existing library in McNamara Street. Council made application to the Premier's Department for available grants.
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However, it was not the end of the story for debate continued to rage and in July, 1983, Council again voted on the proposal, this time agreeing to go ahead with a 9-3 vote. Those to vote against it at this stage were Ald Stevenson, Ald Tim Sullivan and Ald Joyce Hawkes because of the cost to the ordinary ratepayer. Mayor Dick Niven said Orange was certain to receive funds of some sort for the project, a new library was a necessity and it had been Council policy for seven years to pursue the aim of a library-gallery with the aim of supporting State grants to support it. The State Government had offered $568,000 towards the cost of the gallery.
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Work on the complex began in late 1983 and was expected to be completed by November, 1984. However, there was a major setback on August 7, 1985, when arsonists used rags soaked in turps to set fire to the almost completed complex. Fire raced through partitions and into the ceiling, buckling steel joists and causing an estimated $1 million damage.
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Had the blaze not been discovered and the fire had gone through the roof, fire officers said the whole building would have erupted.
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The blaze forced the postponement of the official opening by Premier Neville Wran the following month. Council officers said the gallery roof would have to come off and be replaced and the front wall, propped up with steel stays, could have to be taken down. New carpet which contractors had finished laying a day before would also have to be replaced.
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The library section of the complex opened to the public in January, 1986, while the official opening was carried out by Minister for Finance Bob Debus on Saturday, April 19, in a special ceremony held in the northern forecourt area. The previous evening a preview function was held at the gallery for all groups involved in formation of the gallery, including Festival of Arts, Gallery Foundation, City Council and dignitaries from the Ministry of the Arts and Australia Council.
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In conjunction with the opening ceremony the Combined Orange Pipes and Drums, Orange Industrial Band and Police and Citizens Boys' Club Band played, and an anthem, composed for the occasion by Orange composer in residence Michael Barkl, was performed by a children's choir. There was also a jazz band, acrobatics and comedy by Los Trios Ringbarkus, performance by Orange Youth Theatre, food stalls, face painting, clowns and Dick Becket Airplay.
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The first exhibition at the Gallery was 'Two Centuries of Australian Painting' and featured many leading works from the Art Gallery of NSW valued at millions of dollars, including Tom Roberts' The Golden Fleece. Gallery director Peter O'Neill said the exhibition was an example of the type and importance of collections that could now be attracted to Orange. The gallery provided three exhibition spaces with the Mary Turner Collection, which had been donated to the gallery by Mrs Turner, initially housed in Gallery 2. Gallery 3, upstairs, housed the permanent collection of ceramics, costumes and jewellery.
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Mayor Tim Sullivan said despite the number of grants from State and Federal Government for the complex, the biggest cost had been borne by Orange ratepayers who should accept the library and gallery as their building and make use of it. During the opening Member for Calare David Simmons said he was pleased with the way the project had benefitted from the Commonwealth Employment Program which had enabled Council to raise more than $1 million and enhanced the employment prospects of the 200
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* ''Notes for a history of Orange'' compiled by John Miller (1995-1997). Unpublished.
* ''Notes for a history of Orange'' compiled by John Miller (1995-1997). Unpublished.
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[[category:Buildings|Orange Civic Centre]]

Revision as of 01:32, 30 May 2010

After many years of civic service from the Town Hall in Anson Street, the City Council began to look towards a new Civic Centre complex in the 1950s. On Tuesday, April 8, 1958, council's building committee recommended to Council that it authorise architects to prepare working plans for the new civic centre in Byng Street opposite Robertson Park. The first stage of the new centre, including administrative block and council chambers was estimated to cost ₤138,000 with the second stage to be constructed later. A fire in May, 1963, extensively damaged part of an old two-storey building diagonally opposite the Court House. The building was then torn down and the grounds were added to Council's Civic Centre site.

Orange moved much closer to a civic centre when Mayor Fred Dobbin revealed in May, 1972, that the State Government had offered additional finance for the project.Preliminary plans by the NSW Government Architect for the proposed centre were submitted to City Council on October 3. These plans showed the centre as being part of a combined Commonwealth, State and local government office complex on the corner of Byng Street and Lords Place. Mayor Dobbin said the plans were only preliminary sketches and much discussion from all parties was needed.

Plans for a joint project were scuttled in March, 1973, when the State Government decided it would build a State Office Block on the corner of Anson and Kite streets at a cost of around $1 million. The Government cited lack of finance by Council and the Commonwealth as well as problems involved in planning a combined civic project as the reason for its decision. It also stated that this had left the way clear for Council to develop its own plans for the development of the Byng Street site as the site of its Council Chambers and planned auditorium. About a month later Mayor Fred Dobbin announced that Council had been given approval to raise $900,000 for a new civic centre with the loan raising to be conducted between 1973 and 1976. At the same time the State also agreed to remove the condition that it be a joint Commonwealth-Council project.

Work on the new Civic Centre, estimated to cost $2.1 million, started on May 23, 1974, when contracts were signed for the construction of the pile foundations at a cost of $66,291. The contractors drilling rig arrived on the site almost immediately.

The final City Council meeting in the Town Hall was held in July, 1976, with Council officially moving into the new Civic Centre on August 2. During the final Town Hall meeting Mayor Ron Thomas said the first meeting at that building had been on April 3, 1888.

The Civic Centre was officially opened by NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler on Saturday, October 9, 1976. The centre was divided into three main sections - administrative offices and council chambers, pubic forum and function rooms, and theatre and foyer. The fully-carpeted raked theatre provided seating for 495 people in 'continental' seating without any centre aisle.

The centre was built by Kell and Rigby, and architects were Lund, Hutton, Ryan and Morton. The front of the building was grassed with grown turf sods from Cowra and a 12-year-old magnolia donated by council staff member Mrs V Lewis was planted on the corner of the block while well established silver birch, weeping cherries and other trees were systematically planted along with more than 400 shrubs.

Sir Roden opened the $4.5 million complex at 3pm outside the theatre entrance. He unveiled a plaque which was later placed on the wall of the public forum. A fair was held in Robertson Park in conjunction with the opening with carnival attractions and stalls. Unfortunately the weather was shocking with rain, hail and biting winds, but the day went on regardless with thousands of people in attendance. Among the guests were Orange's oldest residents, who had been specially invited. Oldest resident present was Mr Joe Floyd, 97.


  • Notes for a history of Orange compiled by John Miller (1995-1997). Unpublished.
Retrieved from "http://theorangewiki.orange.nsw.gov.au/index.php?title=Orange_Civic_Centre"
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