Bishopdale community centres on this building

Press, 14 September 1976, Page 13

Bishopdale community centres on this building

When one thinks of Bishopdale one thinks of cuddle machines, frog jumping contests, the shopping centre and perhaps the Sergeant Gilfedder assault case. A community is never static. It changes with the times. And so in a few years the image of Bishopdale will have also changed. Il is most likely that when one thnks of Bishopdale in 1980 one will think of the Bishopdale Community Centre, which will be officially opened by the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) on Saturday. The rise of community centres in New Zealand since the late 1930 s has coincided with the gradual wane of the influence of the church as a community centre. The church was part of community life ini New Zealand in the nineteenth century. Il was even situated in the centre, usually on a slightly higher: plane than other buildings. It was a focal point ot community activity. Churches still play a vital role in the community, but with the secularisation of society, with urbanisation, education, increased mobility and the satisfaction of material needs, the church is slowly losing its old influence. The churches have never resented the rise of community centres. On the contrary, they have wel-l corned them. It was through the work’ of the National Council of Churches and the Roman. Catholic Church that the idea of a community centre at Bishopdale was given a positive boost.

Waimairi County Council had formulated plans when the Lands and Survey Department set aside land at the shopping centre in 1965.

It was the people of Bis-: hopdale themselves who took the matter up and expressed their need during the community project Interview '69, organised by the two I church organisations on a national scale. A handful of local people formed a loose-knit group and worked with the council in the planning of the centre. At the time there was a kind of pre-cursor in the form of an activities group led by Mrs Shirley Jackson where pottery,

arts and crafts were done. The only facilities in the area were Harewood Hall and the Bryndwr Y.M.C.A. centre. A group calling itself the Bishopdale Community Centre Association felt that these were not sufficient for the growing community and approached the Waimairi County Council. The association then carried out a survey which brought strong support from the public and the Bishopdale-Burnside Council of Churches. The site for the building was decided in October, 1974, and the centre was opened in April this year. The library came into use on September I. With its official opening on Saturday the centre will begin a new role as centre of the Bishopdale community.