To Ms. Anna Bligh,
Premier of the great state of Queensland.
Here I thought the bad old days of the National party and Bjelk-Petersen were over. We all let out a sigh of relief when Joh was ousted from the top job over twenty years ago. Thank the lord, they exclaimed. Especially those of us who love the heritage and history of the once great city of Brisbane.
We've lost so much. The Bellevue Hotel, Cloudland, our opera house and yet still you're going to allow developers to cruise on in and destroy another landmark. Unfortunately there are so many historical sites under threat that I'm sure you don't know which one I'm referring to.
I'm talking about the Regent Theatre.
A beautiful venue, with a classy 1920s feel. The atmosphere of the place comes up trumps over the souless beast which is the Queensland Arts Theatre. Yet, the Regent is a simple movie theatre.
It was nearly lost in the 1970s, to the above mentioned monster Bjelk-Petersen. Now, decades later we're about to lose her for good. How, in the 21st century, after we've lost so much can we let this happen? Brisbane is becoming a hollow, concrete monstrosity. We love to laud our beautiful state over the southerners, and yet their cities have kept so much historic beauty. It definitely hasn't affected their progress and development though.
I'm not saying the site cannot be redeveloped. Another hideous office block can be built on the site, over a restored regent theatre. Imagine a Brisbane, with a jewel in it's crown like that. Just look at these photos - http://www.theatreorgans.com/southerncross/Queensland/Regent.htm - It makes your heart beat a little faster doesn't it? The thought of Brisbane actually having something like that to be proud of.
And Brisbane needs another theatre, badly.I just read in the Courier Mail that Waiting for Godot won't be coming to Brisbane as there is insufficient venues. No Sir Ian McKellen for Queensland. No I suppose any of us who want to see it will have to fly to Syndey and Melbourne. It'll be good for their economies.
I can't even name the number of productions my friends and family have flown to other cities to see, simply because a show doesn't come to Brisbane. Don't you think it's time to rectify this situation before Queensland becomes some sort of cultural wasteland?
It's not too late, Ms Bligh. It's time to act in the best interests of the public. It's what we elected you to do. I'm not asking to stop the devlopment, only have it modified. Brisbane wants a restored Regent. Queenslanders want it. We yearn for it.
I beg you to do the right thing, so when my son grows up it's not going to be another lost landmark I point out. Another piece of our soul, lost.
There are several "Save the Regent" groups on Facebook, including the one officially affiliated with this site, here, and this one. Together, they have more than 18,000 members.
Comments
Save the Regent
Please dont destroy anymore historical buildings.
Let the wonderful building remain for historys sake
P Telford
Kenmore
My email to the Premier, and others
To Ms. Anna Bligh,
Premier of the great state of Queensland.
Here I thought the bad old days of the National party and Bjelk-Petersen were over. We all let out a sigh of relief when Joh was ousted from the top job over twenty years ago. Thank the lord, they exclaimed. Especially those of us who love the heritage and history of the once great city of Brisbane.
We've lost so much. The Bellevue Hotel, Cloudland, our opera house and yet still you're going to allow developers to cruise on in and destroy another landmark. Unfortunately there are so many historical sites under threat that I'm sure you don't know which one I'm referring to.
I'm talking about the Regent Theatre.
A beautiful venue, with a classy 1920s feel. The atmosphere of the place comes up trumps over the souless beast which is the Queensland Arts Theatre. Yet, the Regent is a simple movie theatre.
It was nearly lost in the 1970s, to the above mentioned monster Bjelk-Petersen. Now, decades later we're about to lose her for good. How, in the 21st century, after we've lost so much can we let this happen? Brisbane is becoming a hollow, concrete monstrosity. We love to laud our beautiful state over the southerners, and yet their cities have kept so much historic beauty. It definitely hasn't affected their progress and development though.
I'm not saying the site cannot be redeveloped. Another hideous office block can be built on the site, over a restored regent theatre. Imagine a Brisbane, with a jewel in it's crown like that. Just look at these photos - http://www.theatreorgans.com/southerncross/Queensland/Regent.htm - It makes your heart beat a little faster doesn't it? The thought of Brisbane actually having something like that to be proud of.
And Brisbane needs another theatre, badly.I just read in the Courier Mail that Waiting for Godot won't be coming to Brisbane as there is insufficient venues. No Sir Ian McKellen for Queensland. No I suppose any of us who want to see it will have to fly to Syndey and Melbourne. It'll be good for their economies.
I can't even name the number of productions my friends and family have flown to other cities to see, simply because a show doesn't come to Brisbane. Don't you think it's time to rectify this situation before Queensland becomes some sort of cultural wasteland?
It's not too late, Ms Bligh. It's time to act in the best interests of the public. It's what we elected you to do. I'm not asking to stop the devlopment, only have it modified. Brisbane wants a restored Regent. Queenslanders want it. We yearn for it.
I beg you to do the right thing, so when my son grows up it's not going to be another lost landmark I point out. Another piece of our soul, lost.
Yours respectfully,
Aaron Doyle
*Address removed*