Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub

Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub opened in March 2015. This quality facility is home to the new Blue Mountains Theatre, also providing the new entrance to Springwood Library and the provision of a new Council Customer Service counter. In addition to the 438 seat Theatre, the “Hub” also includes a wide range of hireable spaces ideal for meetings, functions, events and even small, intimate performances. Meeting room sizes range from interview rooms for 2 people through to the multi-purpose room capable of accommodating 100. There is also a commercial kitchen and dining room (due to be completed June 2015), completing the scope of facilities available.  As part of the “Hub”, the Council welcomes community services including Springwood Neighbourhood Centre, Vietnam Veterans and Associated Forces Inc., Blue Mountains Respite & Recreation Service Inc., and Blue Mountains Food Services Inc. who are all tenants in this facility. Enhanced with attractive entrance, landscaping and public forecourt, the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub links with Braemar Gallery to create a vibrant, dynamic new cultural precinct for Springwood and the wider Blue Mountains communities.

The main features include stereo Bose array – Room-Match series – fully patchable, with Bose PowerMatch Series amplifiers. The Audio system took advantage of the patchable infrastructure via a Soundcraft Expression mixer. A range of ancillary items for theatre capability included 2 x Shure SLX wireless mics. The system allows a simple set-up, for example a speaker at a lectern, through to a full theatre show. It means a hirer can utilise the Venue and can bring in their own equipment and still patch into the main system.

In terms of capability, (for the Theatre) localised SMD (stage managers desk) inputs include an Ezi-com talk-back system and a theatre paging system including theatre ‘bells’ and background music. Messaging can be directed to six (6) zones throughout the Venue; this enables the stage manager to operate the space as a fully-functioning theatre.

The vision system aspect includes a 225” Electricinema screen by Screen Technics. An Epson EBG6750WU Installation projector is fed via HDBaseT infrastructure. HD Video can be transported from several locations, including the stage, and patched to the projector. A Denon Blu-Ray player was added to the equipment list.

“The Client brief was for a versatile Venue to maximise user flexibility and a mix of hirer groups.

This expands the work of The P.A. People in the area of Council facilities. Other notable projects include the Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Town Hall, Rockdale Town Hall and the Glasshouse Theatre (Port Macquarie). The P.A. people also facilitate a long list of Council-sponsored events including the Sydney New Year’s Eve, St Kilda Festival and more. The P.A. People have been engaged in previous Theatre project work with Kane including the Eternity Playhouse Theatre (Darlinghurst Theatre Company) and the Sydney University Lecture Theatre (Camden Campus)”, commented Josh Jones. 

Emma Ratcliffe, Project Manager for Kane Constructions commented “Kane Constructions were pleased to engage The P.A. People on the Springwood Community Centre project after having worked together on a number of previous tasks. The Client (BMCC) requested Kane provide a well-known contractor to help us redesign the AV system. We were more than happy to engage The P.A. People for this process and their help and assistance with understanding the fine balance between cost and quality for the client helped us revise the AV works.”

“Their understanding, efficiency and professionalism in all aspects – design, delivery and completion – makes them a pleasure to work with. I know that the client was very pleased with the quality of their works and the system that they provided as an end-product that met their budget needs, but also still allows future expansion and extension of the system” said Emma Ratcliffe.