walking . is . overrated

This review was originally published in the Cerebral Palsy Society’s Review publication, and Ross Flood (author) has kindly given me permission to post it up here. Cheers Floody!

The Pumphouse Theatre, which is situated in Killarney Park, Takapuna, would definitely not win any wheelchair accessibility awards, but despite its obvious faults it does have a certain old fashion charm. Put it this way, if you are a wheelchair user and have an adventurous streak the Pumphouse theatre and its surrounds, is the place to be.

First the good news. If you can negotiate a troublesome small step at the entrance door way a wide range of performing arts awaits. In 1905 the Pumphouse began its life as a water pumping station for Auckland’s North Shore. It was saved from demolition by the casting vote of 1960’s Mayor Fred Thomas and re-opened as a theatre in 1977. Now it’s a cosy theatre that seats 192 people with wheelchair access through a door way on the far side of the building.

Further good news is that the cafe T’ziki is also accessible. T’ziki is adjacent to the Pumphouse and is situated on the edge of beautiful Lake Pupuke. Patrons can wine and dine at reasonable cost too. The soup price tag ranges from $10 to $14. The paninis are about the same and the main meals range from $13 to $18. Customers can sip a reasonably good variety of palatable wine while watching a fascinating assortment of birdlife waddle by.

The not so good news is that the art gallery at the Pumphouse is impossible to reach and there is a lack of accessible toilets. In theory there is a perfectly good disabled toilet at the T’ziki. Well there would be if all obstacles were removed. The real enigma is the Amphitheatre which is attached to the back of the cafe. Generally speaking the audience enters from the top but there is a short sharp ramp that leads to the stage. Unfortunately, if seated here, the wheelchair user is in danger of coming to grief as a bit player in a Shakespearean production, as there is nowhere to hide Macbeth’s sword or the witch’s cauldron.

In summary despite obvious physical barriers, some of which could easily be fixed quite frankly, Killarney Park is a fun place to go for a picnic and/or to attend a play at the Pumphouse.

Killarney Park is off Manurere Avenue in Takapuna.