Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
The Ward Theatre in downtown Kingston, presented to the city in 1962 by the late Lieut-Colonel James Ward, for many years Custos of Kingston. Decay has set in and the theatre is in urgent need of repair. -FILE PHOTO
CULTURE IS clearly the Viagra that is needed to inject a resurgence of life into downtown Kingston. Yet, with all the plans being discussed about redeveloping the city, The Ward Theatre has been left out of those plans.
The Ward's powdery and white façade has been a part of downtown Kingston since 1912, when it was given to the city by Colonel Charles James Ward.
Many who argue for its preservation refer to its history, which has featured performances by prominent Jamaicans and foreigners. It was the site at which both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and People's National Party (PNP) cut their 'navel strings'.
Yet, in recent weeks, the Jamaican theatrical community has been abuzz with talk about saving The Ward Theatre as news spread that the fat diva had delivered the final note for the grand dame of theatre.
Fortunately, the theatre was not closed, but there was need for concern and there has been need for grave concern for some time.
LANGUISHING
Fortune seemed about to smile on The Ward Theatre with the imminent approach of World Cup Cricket 2007 and the ensuing efforts to refurbish downtown. Alas, The Ward Theatre will have to continue to languish in disrepair and look on while neighbours are restored to some state of glory.
The St. Williams Grant Park, just across the road from the theatre, is to be restored and nearby numbers two and four Love Lane reshaped into the Simon Bolivar cultural district.
Despite the grand status of much of her early life and her middle years, The Ward has been languishing under the cruel hands of neglect as time continues to have its way with her. In 2003, the 'Year of The Ward' was launched with the intention of resuscitating the theatre, giving it a structural transfusion and taking it off life support.
Ruby Martin, vice-chairman of the Ward Foundation, notes that although the 'Reliving the Glory' element of the Year of the Ward had produced some interesting concerts, it had not been financially successful.
She noted that the concerts had not generated significant funding and, additionally, the bulk of the money needed, which should have come from donations, never arrived. Their major donor at the time was Life of Jamaica, which gave an endowment of $3 million to be paid over three years. In 2003, the foundation's projected restoration budget had run to $350 million and so restoration costs would now have to factor in inflation.
IGNORING THE THEATRE
The restoration of downtown Kingston is a part of the effort to revitalise the city centre and make it the capital's cultural hub.
Yet, it seems near-sighted that there can be any attempt to repair downtown and ignore The Ward Theatre.
Francis Kennedy, chairman of the Kingston City Centre Improvement Company (KCCIC), argues, however, that any effort to help The Ward before Cricket World Cup 2007 would be a nip and tuck event, a merely cosmetic treatment of the extensive repair that needs to be done to the theatre, which would take approximately two to three years.
The theatre needs repair to its roof, seating, plumbing, stage and backstage areas. The roof, which had already been in need of repair, was further damaged by the hurricanes that battered the island last year.
Kennedy explained that the contract for restoration would have to be put to tender (a three-month process) and funding would have to be sourced. He noted that the financial need for repair was too great for entities such as CHASE or the Jamaica Heritage Fund to supply and thus the lengthy process of overseas grant funding would have to be engaged in.
"I think everybody wants to see it restored," he said, but he pointed out that the reality of it is that sourcing the funding will not be easy.
RESTORATION FUNDS
Additionally, Kennedy maintains that the KCCIC had not received a proposal from the Ward Theatre Foundation to procure funds for its restoration.
"When we needed the various business plans, theirs wasn't available," Kennedy said. He argued that though he has since heard of the development of a proposal, an official one has not reached his office.
However, Martin points out that the foundation had not been officially informed of the restoration plans, although in the initial talks about the restoration of Kingston the foundation had been informed that The Ward would have been included.
Of course, restoration funding may also be found from corpo-rate Jamaica. Yet member of the foundation's board, Cedric McDonald, notes that such an injection of capital will take government initiative. "The government has to display that it is doing something tangible to downtown," he said.
Many have argued that The Ward Theatre's problem is its location, as people fear going downtown. As more and more of Kingston's citizenry attempt to jail themselves into gated communities in the pervading fear of rising violence, the concern is a legitimate one which cannot be dismissed.
Yet, the restoration of the city centre is an attempt to combat this idea and make downtown attractive for events other than Passa Passa. Martin notes that for select events, the rest of Kingston and other parts of Jamaica have made the journey to The Ward.
SUSTAINABILITY
The problem, however, is keeping this sustainable. According to Director of Culture Sydney Bartley, sustainability will have to be the government's focus.
He points out that though The Ward is under the portfolio of the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation, that institution is not geared toward sustaining its needs.
"We have to find a way to place The Ward on that sustainable footing," he said, likening what needs to be done to the theatre with the Institute of Jamaica's taking over of Liberty Hall.
A part of that sustainability will have to mean that The Ward has to create a programme that will keep patrons coming back.
An aspect of that is finding a suitably qualified theatre manager. Another element is in encouraging the interest of those who live closest to the theatre.
Bartley notes that the Govern-ment is quite comfortable with cultural institutions being located in the city centre. He noted, however, that unlike the IOJ or Liberty Hall, The Ward depended on importing people to it.
POPULIST ENTERTAINMENT
It should, however, be noted that The Ward's history includes being a site for populist entertainment.
For many years the staging of the National Pantomime was a significant part of that, a tradition which ended near the turn of the century. Martin noted that development plans must include sustainable programming.
But for now, The Ward remains a woman scorned, awaiting the return of her beloved city.
With her pretty blue dress starting to tear at the seams, she whispers of times past when glory was hers. She is a symbol of the potential that remains in the country and a warning of the disastrous effects of neglecting our national treasures.
