The future of the Goldfields Repertory Club remains uncertain while volunteers fight to raise the $6.5 million needed to rebuild its deteriorating Brookman Street theatre.
After receiving $50,000 of the $97,000 it requested from the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in major grant funding, the 95-year-old club will turn its efforts to seek help from local companies.
Vice-president Norma Latchford said she was pleased to receive support from the city this year but still had “mixed feelings” about the club’s prospects.
“I was aware that we wouldn’t get the full amount . . . you know many people are going to apply and you’re never going to,” she said.
“It’s going to be a real struggle . . . we just need the support of the community.
“If we close down, after 95 years, I mean, it’s all tradition gone.”
Significant deterioration of the building has ruled out a potential renovation, with a full rebuild now the only option.
“In a theatre now, you have to have firewalls and fire doors and sound-proofing and all that kind of thing,” Dr Latchford said.
“This building here has just been built hodgepodge, a bit here and a bit there.”
The $50,000 grant will be put towards a $195,000 project to prepare detailed construction documentation, which will label the rebuild shovel ready.
“From there we can apply for the big grants — the Federal Government won’t look at you until you’re shovel ready,” Dr Latchford said.
Hurdles keep popping up as the ageing theatre requires the club to spend hard-earned money on maintaining the building that will eventually be demolished.
“It’s getting worse and worse . . . one storm would probably blow us away,” Dr Latchford said.
“We can’t take all our reserves because we may need them if the roof goes or something like that.”
The club has some of its own money saved up through profitable shows and fundraising efforts. Dr Latchford said the club had never before had to ask for money.
“I think it’s been to our detriment that we haven’t asked for money. We don’t need money to run, we’re a successful community theatre,” she said.
“We’ve always had our own money, we’ve made our own money, we’ve got a little bit in the bank, and we haven’t had to ask anybody for any money, except now.”
The Goldfields Repertory Club is a registered charity and donations are tax deductible.