The siren on top of Cambridge Town Hall.
Simon Brew – Town Hall general manager
When Youth Orchestra Waikato played in the Cambridge Town Hall recently, fortunately for everyone in the sell-out audience, the fire alarm did not go off.
The noise inside the hall would have been overpowering, a patron joked after the concert.
But it now appears the Cambridge Town Hall Community Trust and the town’s fire brigade are close to coming to an arrangement after what both describe as “positive” talks.
Fire chief Dennis Hunt confirmed he and trust general manager Simon Brew met recently to discuss isolating the siren, which sits on top of the Town Hall, during major events.
Chief fire officer Dennis Hunt.
“At this stage we have not been asked to do so for any Town Hall bookings,” said Hunt.
But it appears it might happen for Les Voisins – a journey into French music through the ages – on April 28 and Double Shot – featuring acclaimed percussionists Yoshiko Tsututa and Jeremy Fitzsimons – on May 26.
“There have been some positive talks,” said Hunt.
“It was a positive discussion,” said Brew.
“In the case of our upcoming concerts, if there is an emergency, the fire siren will still be used as a backup if the other forms of communication fail.
“But we understand the likelihood of this happening is low,” he said.
Hunt said the brigade was using a new turnout system which from time to time could fail. In that event there would be a need to activate the siren.
The siren is turned off between 10pm and 6am.
When The News broached the subject of the fire alarm with the late fire chief Don Gerrand last year, he was adamant turning off the alarm for major events was not an option.
The alarm was still the main and most reliable call to firefighters, he said at the time.
The pager alert used before the turnout system sounded after the Town Hall siren went off.
The Town Hall trust is endeavouring to “activate” the 114-year-old hall which struggles to attract big events partly because of its ageing facilities and appearance.
Orchestras Central Trust chief executive Catherine Gibson said Youth Orchestra Waikato found the acoustics at the hall “fabulous.”
And the toilet facilities are reasonably modern but elsewhere in the hall, there is a tired look, the trust has admitted.
It wants to bring the hall back to its former glory.
Putting temporary pauses on the fire siren during major events is one thing which will help, said Brew.
Joshua Kirk conducts the orchestra. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
