The ageing diesel heating system at the Alexandra Memorial Theatre needs to be replaced, and several options for a new system have been discussed by the Vincent Community Board.
Community facility officer Carol McGarry told the board last week that engineers had said the old system "was about to blow", and there were no known replacement parts in the country.
Apart from Musical Society productions, which used the theatre for six to eight weeks a year, the building had been used for fewer than a dozen nights in the past year.
A consultant's report on the existing boiler was completed in March 2005 and noted the unit was inefficient due to its age and that of the burner.
The underground diesel tanks do not meet the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996.
Mrs McGarry said the delivery of diesel would eventually be refused as the tank did not comply with the latest requirements for safety.
A request for funding to replace the tanks or source an alternative heating system was put on the wish list in February 2006 as part of the Long Term Community Council Plan (LTCCP) but was declined.
The board was told the boiler and burner could be replaced at a cost of $52,100 but that option was not supported by staff.
Other options were to fit electric comfort line heaters in the main theatre complex at an estimated cost of $25,288 or install an LPG ducted system at $44,521 and have the underground tank removed at an estimated cost of $13,200.
The board voted to investigate LPG and electrical options for the theatre.
