History
From WATER WORKS
Two pumphouses were built to supply Lake Pupuke water – initially to Devonport but later to most of the North Shore. The first was built in 1894 and was partially demolished in 1931. The second was completed in October 1905 at a cost of ?3287; The system was first operational on 4th November 1905 It was however not officially opened until March 1906; This is the building known today as The PumpHouse, and today it functions as a theatre and gallery and is administered by the North Shore Theatre and Arts Trust. The construction of both buildings involved pioneer North Shore industrialists ‘their names are familiar’ the bricks were manufactured by Duders Bros brickworks on the north-eastern side of Ngataringa Bay on a site now occupied by navy housing. The timber was from Bonds Sawmill – just inside the main gates of HMNZS Philomel. The contractors were Mays and Gordon from Devonport, and the engineer in charge was Henry Metcalfe, also from Devonport; Mr James Mays was the clerk of works and responsible for coordinating each contractor.
The pumping plant comprised 2 boilers and 2 pumps; The main pump was capable of pumping 100,000 gallons of water through 4 miles of pipes in 8 hours to the reservoir on Mt Victoira, while the ancilliary pump could lift 7000 gallons an hour; The reservoir could be filled in 22 hours, with 2 tons of coal being burnt. The pumphouse was described as being – plain brick, 74 feet by 38 feet, comprising a boiler room engine room, coal store, all under one roof, with a brick chimney 80 feet high on a concrete base, and lit throughout with electric light. The other building on site, the Green Shed was used to house the electric pumps that pumped the supply after 1927.
Both buildings became unused in 1944 when water quality and quantity deteriorated and a new supply was sourced from the Waitakeres; A comment from historical material reads as follows: “hardly 10 years passed before the level of the lake began to fall; the more rapid the rise in polulation, the faster the lake level fall; and the more curious the flavour and even the texture of the liquid that came darkly from our taps; The story of protozoa in the kitchen sink was replaced by one about eels in the bath, and in 1944 few regretted the changeover to the Auckland supply”.
The pumphouse as a water-pumping station was now redundant.
TO THEATRE AND GALLERY COMPLEX
The pumphouse and the green shed then fell into disrepair and were essentially used as storage for the North Shore Rowing Club. Tucked away out of sight and largely out of mind, the pumphouse attracted few visitors, rowers, adventuring children, artists, few others bothered.
The pumphouse building and the Green Shed then lay derelict and in danger of demolition until the 1960?s when the Council of the day wanted to demolish it to make way for gardens. The casting vote of Takapuna Mayor, Mr Fred Thomas, saved the building from this fate and from 1968 to 1971 a steering committee was formed to consider how the building could be converted to a Theatre – at times against considerable opposition.
With support from amateur dramatic groups and many North Shore residents the North Shore Theatre and Arts Trust was formed and incorporated in 1971 and the task of raising money and planning the restoration work began.
The Theatre was opened in 1977 and with later additions has become the vibrant Theatre and Gallery complex it is today.
The group who saw the potential for the building to be transformed as a theatre were not the only one to see a use for the historic site, and they had to compete with many others. However with the incorporation of the Trust in 1971 the task of raising money and planning the renovations began.
One of the more daunting tasks was bringing the building up to earthquake standard – particularly the chimney; While there was some talk of having this demolished, the engineers on the Trust fought long and hard, and with steel reinforcing around the outside, and concrete inside, it was bought up to standard.
The pumphouse building itself, although with sound brickwork, had deteriorated with 30 years of neglect and all the fittings, doors, windows etc had gone. The inside surfaces told their story of having been used to house a coal-fired steam engine. Plans for a raked auditorium, stage, a backstage room above the old coal bunker, and the green room were made and begun. The lovely round-top windows and doors were preserved and the new extensions carefully matched.
The first production was onstage in 1977.
