Riccarton Council’s New Office

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30419, 18 April 1964, Page 1

Riccarton Council’s New Office

Years of. working in cramped and difficult conditions are over for the staff of the Riccarton Borough Council. On Monday, they will move into their new £36,000 office building, which has been erected in Clarence road between the old council building and Riccarton road.

Of contemporary design, the new building covers a total area of 6600 sq. ft. and incorporates' a council chamber 30ft by 20ft, a showroom for the electricity department, and offices for the clerical and engineering staff and draughtsmen. A bright cafeteria for the staff is at the rear of the building. A feature of the exterior of the building is the white hol-low-block facing on the eastern and southern frontages. ‘Windows open into the cavity behind the blocks, which are side mounted.

Large parking areas are being formed around the offices for staff and “customers” cars.

The Town Clerk (Mr R. Sarjeant) said yesterday that possibly the most pleasing feature of the project to ratepayers was the fact that there would be no money owing. “We have set aside money over the years for the building,” he said.

The council’s accommodation problems go back more than 30 years. A shop in Riccarton road was, on January 30, 1913, the council’s first meeting place. The next month, the staff moved into j workshop on the corner of Rimu street and Riccarton road. They stayed there until the existing office building was built in Clarence street in 1914.

Less than seven years later, it was necessary to add to the building. An additional office was erected on the Clarence street frontage. Then, in 1930, a further extension was made, on the south side.

Lack of space handicapped the staff again from the mid--1930’s and the position became

so serious that, In 1958, a special sub-committee was set up to investigate preliminary plans for new offices. The committee presented its report to the council in March, 1959, and recommendations that the town hall be extended and modernised and that new offices be erected were adopted. The first stage of this work was carried out a few years ago and plans for the new offices were approved by the council last year. The contract with the successful tenderers, Carlisle Construction Company, was signed on April 16. 1963. The architects are Messrs Griffiths and Moffat. The building will be officially opened in about three months.