Page 33 - CR-92

only other cinemas operating in Ballarat were
the Village Regent and the Southern Drive-
in.

The rot had started to set in by the time the hall
was 25 years old. Bookings were down with
claims that the Civic Hall was too big for
stage shows, and the acoustics were too poor
for concerts. Even back then, calls were being
made for the demolition of what had become
a rather big white elephant. By 2002, the
Council decided to pull the plug and close the
hall to await demolition.

The last event held at the Civic Hall was the
Mayoral Ball on 20 November 2002 and,
since then, it has remained empty apart from
vandals, squatters and council workers taking
everything of value and placing it in storage,
especially the organ and grand piano, and
even the plumbing to the toilets. However,
when the Council announced plans to
demolish the hall, there was a public outcry
and the “Save the Civic Hall” group was
formed, working tirelessly to get the public
and the Council on side. Finally, in 2015, the
Ballarat hosted the rowing for the 1956 ballroom dancing, concerts, meetings etc. Council agreed to retain and renovate the old
Olympic Games in November of that year, using the portable seating. At the rear of the building as part of a major redevelopment of
and events associated with it were held at the balcony is a bio-box which, in 1992, was the area. Architects were employed to come
Civic Hall. equipped with two 35 mm carbon arc
projectors and a rewind room. The large stage
The building is actually two halls in one (think area is located below a three-storey high fly
of the Regent/Plaza in Melbourne, but on a tower, and has a pull down screen and several
far less grand scale), with a smaller lower hall sets of curtains. There are at least a dozen
with a capacity 440 persons located under the dressing rooms behind, and to the side of the
stage and jutting out at right angles to the main stage. In fact, there are rooms all over the
hall above, which had a seating capacity of place, used for various purposes. At the back
1592. A side room holds all the portable of the main hall, under the balcony, there are
seating for the ground floor area. The lower refreshment rooms on either side. At the rear
hall has its own stage and was at times used as of the hall, above the dressing rooms, was the
a supper room with its own attached kitchen. hall manager’s apartment. He actually lived
However, in later years, it was used as a bingo there.
centre.
The Civic Hall was used as a picture theatre up with five options, all of which retain the
The only fixed seating in the complex consists on at least one occasion. From 6 January to 15 hall in one form or other but, in April 2016,
of 460 cinema style seats in the balcony January 1986, the Michael J. Fox film Teen the architects were dismissed and the Council
section of the main hall, which meant that the Wolf screened there for three sessions daily, voted on a plan that will see the lower hall
hall with its flat, timber floor could be used for during the school holidays. At this time, the demolished and the Ballarat Library (located
behind the Civic Hall) extended into the hall
area. The main hall would be retained but with
reduced stage area, and the balcony turned
into separate theatrettes. Private investment is
being sought to pay for the works and for an
upgrade to the area surrounding the hall.

It should be noted that while the Ballarat
Council owns the Civic Hall, the Victorian
State Government owns the land on which it
stands so, if the hall were to be demolished,
the Government would then have the land
back. ✶

Credits:

Images by Earl Martell.
Brett Edgington
Secretary, Ballarat Trades Hall Council.

“Save the Civic Hall Committee” and
Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute for provision of
Reference newspapers.

CINEMARECORD # 92 33