Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 6 : Debate on New Art Gallery and Cultural Centre 1963-1970

I I THI COUllllR-MAIL WEDNESDAY DIC 29 1965 J ·eovt. backs plan .for culture .base ill ~ew ''heart''. - T HE Education Minister ( r. 1ssey yester ay declared the-State Government generally in favo1Jr of an ambitious plan to give the city a cultural centre and a new "heart." . Th• plan· envisages a cu ural centre in Brisban•'• heart witt- gal– lery, theatre,, ancl facilities for allied artl. Mr. Piuey 10id there was strong feelin1 that thi• culturol centre's dHelop– ment 1hould 1M 1tou11d up with the future of the RCNllfl Street area. He said ,. committee area bounded by Albert had been formed in Street. to the· north. North . Quay to the south. Ann 1959 to raise funds for Street on the ea5t, and a cnltural centre 8JI & Tank Street and Rom11 t j t Street on the west. cen enary pro ec • The area Is more than But an appeal could not 16 acres and the estimated I be launched with the gen- cost of reaumpUon Is l eral planntn1 for the more than £3,800,000. Ex· Roma street area unde- perts say the council would termlned. recoup Its outlay from prlv– Autbnr of the overall ate developers and the lr.- plan favoured by Mr. Plz· creased value and greater zey Is a1•cbltect. Mr. Arthur prosperity of the area. BllKb, ot the Briabane flrlD ParktiL aaats of Bll1b Jessup, Bretnall. ~ ~ and Parttlera. The scheme provides a The Centenary Appeal balanced development with Finance Committee chair- transport facilities and man (Slr ,Leon Trout> sald parking, shopping, hotels! yesterday the Brisbane restaurants. commercla 0lt7. Council seemed un- and governmental of.!lces, wllupg to move on de- residential blocksLplaces to veloplng the area. sit and places w admlre 1 "The old markets area ls the view-topped by a a moet despondent and cultural centre with gal– unsightly area," he said. lery, theatres, and faclll- Slr Leon aald lt was de- ties for allied arts. ·slrable that the Govern- Bir Leon said the gov– ment anct the City Council ernment would subsidise! accep~ a composite plan the cultural centre £ for of the Bligh scheme and £ up to £250,000. . l the Wilbur Smith report "If the Government and1 and tie them in with the the council accept the Town Plan. Bligh scheme. we wlll get B a new theatre and new esumptlons gallery, but If they don't do so quickly I can't see The Bligh scheme ac- us gett.lng. It for yen.rs •· cording to experienced Sir Leon said. · planners, does not Inter- "Meanwhile we haven 't lere with the counc I's plan got a site for the cultural for the Olty Square, nor centre. and we can't start the Wilbur Smith traffic an appeal until we have ! Improvements. one. We can't ask the pub- \ The_scheme requires the lie to contribute money 1 counc1I resumption of al- towards a centre If we most all buildings In the don't have a site." \ I THI COUllllll-MAIL SATURDAY JAN I ' '" I CRITICISES eLANS· FORi ARTS CENTRE Q UEENSLAND Art Gallery director (Mr. L. N. B. Thomu) yesterday eritlclaed , recent proposals for a new cultural centre, ' ' I - • On Tuesday. Education were ina · l Minister (Mr. PIZ?JeY) . and Withdrawn Centenary A-ppeal Finance ''The aite baa alnce _,.,en Committee chairman (Sir 88 thev 1mow. wttbdrawn.' 1 1 Leon Trout• commented Mr ''l'bOmM _.d. "Per• on the need ror a Queens- h · they couJd ay wbJ land Art Gallery a nd a~ what the altemamea Theatre. are- without blamlnl ' the' • Mr, p1zzey said there was LOrd Mayor? a strong reeUn~ that this "The tmpl,lcatlon la that cultural centres develop- Mr PIZ?.eY III convenlelltlY ment should be bOUDd up hiding behind unacce~ with the rut.ure of the pro.pcllll!la put forward bf Roma street, area. the eentenarJ Ptnance Sir Leon said the Brll- committee ~ alO bane City council seemed ,And behind •bll ao.vern• unw 111n1 to move on de• ment's very mean probolal veloplnll the area, of ·ouertnlJ aac,000. t ror Mr. Thomas said th ere .i: with the pubUe · for • ..,as something nalve-o centre which oiwioiJllY could one say calculated?- would cost. far more than In the remarxa of both Mr. that Pl1.zey and Bir Leon Trout. .. Anybody 1n~reated ID "Both aeem to blame the the actual reqwrementa of Lord Mayor of Brisbane " qallel'Y and theatre can and his council for not 6 ee modela now tn the provldln11 a ,pace In the O ,,eenslantl Art QallerJ - Town Plan for what. they all designed bY aentor Rre pleased to call a cul- d ta turl\l centre," he said. arrnlter.ture stu en ·'Both Mr. Plzzey and sir "But 1 ,uggeat ,bat Leon Trout know quite neither Mt. ptzr,ey, who brS well that a alte ror such never been to the Art Gal• " centre wai1 agreed on and lery In my term of offlcflt approved In C ntenary here, nor Bir LeOn TrOU, Ycnr 1959 and th t nelther(,has tne vquest Idea of has done anvthln11 vlslblel what that centre ent&lll, ~I nce to build on lt,--Or even In terms of apace," t.n ruHIII the. proml11e11 that ,Mr Thomu salrl.