Q When will the new stage be completed?
We are too many years into the project. Architects appointed Feb.2015 The DA plans did not meet the Council’s functional specification and was abandoned by the community.
Q Who owns The Haven Amphitheatre?
The Haven Amphitheatre was a well used asset of Willoughby City Council. The Haven was managed by a Committee of Willoughby Council.
Q How many Shows in The Haven per year?
The number of shows/performances can vary from year to year. In several years there were six shows. However some of these shows may have multiple performances.
Q Can I park at The Haven?
There is no parking at The Haven Amphitheatre. We supply buses from the local shops as there is no parking on site and very restricted parking in the local area.
Q What seed capital was offered by Willoughby City Council?
Pat Reilly a previous mayor suggested up to $150,000 seed capital could be requested by the committee. The current Council has requested $550,000 be put up by the community to advance the project.
Q What materials may be used for the reconstruction?
To be confirmed as it is a bush fire zone. A minimal steel frame structure is envisaged with a lightweight unified material for the stage.
See the current DA plans for a materials specification. Including a wooden plank stage?
Q Is the committee committed to the current design as proposed on the council site?
The community have not accepted the current design.
Q Is the proposal over engineered?
No
Q What are the maintenance issues with the old stage?
The forty year old timber pile construction has a compact cement platform. The cement sheets moved due to varying temperatures and therefore require frequent resealing. The support structure was inspected by WCC engineers and deemed non compliant with current codes and could not confirm the structural integrity of the support piles.
Council requested we cease productions on the old stage.
Council have now removed the old stage.
The WCC engineers were correct in their structural assessment as many of the support piles had rotted off at ground level.
Q What should the platform be constructed of?
This is an open question. A low maintenance unified material (ie in one piece) is preferable. The material should be silent when jumped on ie it must not drum. Many performances are video recorded and quality audio recordings are made. The stage must never leak as delicate electronics, lighting, audio, and staging equipment are stored under it.
Q Is it necessary to have storage under the stage?
Modern productions require audio, lighting and all the effects of modern theatre. The production team cannot afford to spend several days setting up a production. The undercroft had the installed lighting power racks and all cables were underground for lights and the audio systems. There was a dedicated area for performers to change and a minimal food preparation area. A flush toilet and hand basin were also provided.
Q Are there toilets in The Haven?
Yes, a flush toilet was installed under the stage for performers. The audience is catered for with a rented Porta loo. It is the intention of the committee to upgrade and to include an accessible Porta Loo.
Q Is there disabled access to The Haven?
This heritage site is steep with stone steps. However we have a flat area where coffee and tea are served. Chairs are available for those able to get that far. Those in Wheel Chairs are accommodated at this time on The Barricade at the ticket sales area. It is proposed to have a specific flat viewing platform off the road for the disabled so they will not need to negotiate any steep slopes.
Council as at 30/10/2021 has installed an accessible viewing platform off the Barricade.
Q How many people use The Haven?
Dozens of community parties, meetings, visits, weddings, tours, tai chi and yoga classes, picnics and other informal gatherings take place in the Haven every year. The Christmas Carols attracted an overflow audience every year exceeding 350-400 on occasions. Film nights have attracted varying numbers from 50 plus. Many theatrical productions have had audiences of many hundreds over several evenings. A mixed faith service was sent live to the the USA. Major TV productions have been shot with multiple cameras and an Outside Broadcast Van was used for those productions such as Christmas Carols and James Morrison concert. The Walter Burley Griffin Society occasionally uses The Haven for lectures and it is a feature of their walking tours.
Cabaret has proven popular with all shows quickly selling out. See the posters of past events on this site.
Q Who is the committee?
See the elected committee members as published on this site. We are a management committee of Willoughby Council. The Haven is a an asset of Willoughby Council.
The Walter Burley Griffin Society statements
These statements have been dealt with previously with The WBGS.
It is unfortunate that the same misconceptions were repeated in 2014 and 2015. They include the following:
| The rock pictured on page 9 of the WBGS letter does not appear to be the rock referred to as the Prometheus Rock by Marion Mahony Griffin. The rock on page 9 of the WBGS letter is on the far western side of the creek and under the existing stage whereas the Prometheus Rock (shown in the photograph on page 3 of the WBGS letter) was on the eastern side of the creek in the area Marion used for a stage. |
| The concept to which this objection refers is not the final proposal as outlined at the top of this response. All the elements of rock, landform, the creek, trees and vegetation are critical parts of the essence and character of the site. The design concept presented to date nestles itself within these elements, creating a softer and visually lighter response to site than the current irregular stage. This is particularly clear when the Haven is viewed from lower in the gully looking up. The concept has the flexibility to be developed further to respond to its site, particularly as more heritage, environmental and landscape elements become defined through the process. |
| The Angophora pictured in the top photograph on page 8 of the WBGS letter is well away (many meters) from any proposed concrete structure of the proposed slab. Moreover columns can be positioned so as to avoid any interference with the tree. The lower photograph of the construction site bears no resemblance to the HAC Proposal in size or scope and is therefore not relevant and appears to be misleading. |
| Such a weather protection awning will be useful for all equipment and in particular for the extensive electronic equipment used in modern theatre, music and lighting. Moving such equipment out of the rain quickly and keeping water off a section of the stage greatly improves safety issues for performers and crew alike. The need for a code compliant handrail as a non negotiable safety issue is discussed above. The awning support structure is subject to further detailed design, and may in fact not be required to touch the ground at all. |
| Formwork sheets will be of the size most efficient to carry out the construction works. These materials are limited in size due to manhandling and weight, generally 1.2 m x 2.4 metres (standard sheet size). Reinforcement bars are more likely to be used than sheet reinforcement as used in residential construction. A detailed construction plan has not been prepared at this time. Different methodologies have been discussed such as defining a material handling zone outside of the site, or even the potential of a scaffolding platform being erected over the stone seating (both to protect and to provide a work area). All these elements will be covered in the Development Application and most likely will form part of any tender for the works. |