We're looking for a little help to restore our film projectors
The Granity Silver Band, formed in the mid 1890's, installed movie projectors in their practise hall and showed movies to raise funds for the band.
Unfortunately destroyed by fire in the early 1950's this hall, with great community help, was replaced with the current Lyric Theatre.
Replacement projectors were obtained and movies were again shown right through to 2012.
Disaster struck in 2014 with cyclone Ita taking the roof off the theatre.
This resulted in an eight year rebuild which included earthquake strengthening, complete rewiring and replumbing, new toilets and kitchen.
Today the Lyric Theatre is managed by a non profit charitable society newly formed by locals and provides many excellent music and theatrical events along with being a venue for community events and activities such as table tennis and even a small bore rifle club.
Upstairs, above the mezzanine floor is the projection room still with the two projectors, these being Peerless Magnarc Lamphouses with Westars projectors.
They are the old carbon arc 35mm type and while they have not been operated for 13 years or so they have been well protected and are complete.
We would love to get these magnificent machines running again and are looking for someone with maybe engineering or similar skills that would be interested in volunteering some time to help us with this interesting project.
Initially we are planning on cleaning up the lamphouse part of the projectors. This is the part where the positive and negative carbon rods ark and produce the light required rather than an electric light.
Please contact Tony on: tonysteiner1948@gmail.com if you would be interested in learning more.
