CIVIC CENTRE IN CHRISTCHURCH

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27581, 11 February 1955, Page 7

CIVIC CENTRE IN CHRISTCHURCH

Poll Likely In May THREE POSSIBLE SITES The probability of a poll in May on the question of a site for the Christchurch civic centre and town hall was mentioned by a deputation from the City Council to the Minister in charge of Broadcasting (Mr R. M. Algie) yesterday. The sites so far considered are the lands bounded by Worcester, Gloucester and Manchester streets and Latimer square (an area already approved in principle by the council), the Limes block bounded by Cambridge terrace and Victoria and Kilmore streets and, very recently, Latimer square itself. The holding of a poll will be discussed by the finance committee of the City Council and its recommendation is not likely to be made until the council meeting on March 17. The proposal is that the poll be held concurrently with the triennial poll for the election of members of the Christchurch Drainage and Transport Boards. A promise that no step would be taken by the National Broadcasting Service to implement its plans to build new studios behind the existing 3YA building in Gloucester street which would make negotiation with the council more difficult in four months than it was today was given by Mr Algie. The council had asked the Government to modify the plans for the studios so that the plans for a town hall and civic centre on the Municipal Chambers block would not be upset. “We have no wish to be a source of embarrassment to an important service like broadcasting,” the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) assured the Minister. The service was established on the present site and there were difficulties in connexion with its entire removal. Earlier, the city had decided, and the policy had been enodrsed by the present council up to the moment, to purchase properties in the block from time to time. Some had been purchased and another was under offer. The idea was to develop the civic centre on the block and, ultimately, to build a town hall with a frontage to Latimer square. Development of Block

“It appears to us lhat the extension of 3YA will block, to a large extent, the development of a town hall with a Latimer square frontage,” said Mr Macfarlane. “It would allow of only a very narrow part by W’hich to form the civic buildings. That being the case, we thought we would see if there was any way out—that the additions required here could be changed so that they could become part of the development of the civic block.” Christchurch was the only main

centre in the Dominion without a town hall, said Cr. C. Baldwin (chairman of the housing and town-planning committee). A town hall was under discussion long before the projects of a tunnel road or a new railway station. The council had ‘‘more or less” decided on the Municipal Chambers block as the site. If the Broadcasting Service’s plans for extensions were gone ahead with, the council would have to look elsewhere for a site, which, perhaps, would not be ideal. The council made the strongest representations to the Government to keep the building extensions as close to the present building as possible to preserve a beautiful site for the civic centre. The suggestion was made that one storey be added to the present building, so that the town hall could be built on the back land. It was not contemplated to build upwards, said Mr G. H. Stringer (executive assistant to the Director of Broadcasting). The service wanted to work in with the council, as its policy was to build the stations into the civic centred, as broadcasting should spring from the people and not be superimposed. “We agree heartily in principle with what you have said, but we have asked that you extend on the street frontage and not upwards,” said Cr. J. E. Tait. A big studio, seating 250 to 300, had to be built on the ground floor for fire egress, said Mr Skinner. Taking land was difficult. Cr. Tait; Not so much for the Crown as for the city. ‘•Finding a Way” “We are trying to help you,” said Mr Algie. “We both represent sections of the public and are going to spend money. We have to harmonise our interests with the city’s. It is a question of finding a way—that is all it is. We are not going to be precipitate. We must have an extension of our broadcasting services. We have a lease falling due, and we have to get out of one of our particular shows and, naturally, the economic way is to bring that unit here into the new building we desperately want. How do we get over that? That is the big problem.” After discussing plans with the City Engineer (Mr E. Somers), the Minister asked the Mayor: “Do you intend going on with the town hall pretty soon?”

The question of another site had been raised, said the Mayor. The council would probably be asked to approve of a poll being taken on the three sites at the election of ad hoc board members in May. The Municipal Act was anomalous in that no provision was made for expenditure on such a poll and the council might have to ask the Government to pass validating legislation. The Minister: If we take no steps in

the next three or four months, that would meet your point now? The Mayor: Yes. The Minister then gave his promise that negotiations would not be any more difficult four months hence. The Mayor said the poll issue would be considered by a committee of the council, to which a recommendation would probably be made the meeting after next. The Broadcasting Service had been treated fairly by the City Council over the years, said Mr Skinner as the conference ended, and the tenor of the discussions that day evidenced the good relations.