Woolston Working Mens Club Officially Opened

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28159, 24 December 1956, Page 15

Woolston Working Mens Club Officially Opened

The new Woolston Working Men’s Club, towards ihe cost of which each of the 1500 members contributed an average of £25, was officially opened by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) on Saturday morning. More than 700 persons attended the ceremony. The club, about 6750 square feet in area, has a reading room and library with 3000 books, a committee room, an office and canteen, a kitchen, a lounge bar opening on to a large main bar, and a social hall to which members hope to add another portion eventually, turning the whole club into a U structure.

The architect, Mr R. E. Smith, designed the club in contemporory fashion, and pastel shades, modern furniture and bar fittings, and glass predominate throughout it. Outside the main bar is a concrete terrace with tables and chairs. The social hall will be reserved for billiards and card tables. The 18 acres of land on which the club is built will be developed into playing fields of all kinds. The president (Mr J. R. Whitford) said on Saturday that it was hoped the club might become a community centre for Woolston, and no sport would be de-

barred if sufficient land was available. The club began three and a half years ago with 450 members, and work was started on the building in March this year. At least £4OOO was saved—the club cost £3s,ooo—by members doing the sewerage and power reticulation work themselves. The building was financed entirely by men of the Woolston district.

“I regard this as a very important and pleasant function,” said Mr Macfarlane. “I am very happy to see the extension of these clubs throughout Christchurch. In this design, Woolston has a club of which it can be very proud, and I hope it will develop to become the most outstanding in Christchurch.”

Included in the official party were Mr H. R. Lake, M.P., Mr J. Mathison. M.P., the president of the Associated Chartered Clubs (Mr D. Barrett), Mr R. A. Young, representing the club’s solicitors, and representatives of working men’s clubs throughout Canterbury. Mr Young was made an honorary member of the club.