Little River community complex to be opened

Press, 1 March 1984, Page 9

Little River community complex to be opened

Months of preparation, fund-raising, and work by Little River residents will end when the township’s new fire station-community complex is opened on Saturday. The project was a real community effort, according to the Wairewa County Clerk, Mr W. F. Aydon, yesterday. ' “Most people in the area helped one way or another, particularly with the labour. They were fantastic,” he said. Originally the complex was expected to cost about $190,000. However, Mr Aydon expected the figure to

rise closer to $230,000 once final payments had been settled.

The County Council is responsible for 60 per cent of the cost and the Fire Service, through a loan from the Local Authorities Loans Board, will meet the rest. The council received a $25,000 subsidy from the Lottery Board’s Local Authorities Community Facilities Fund and by February 10, a fund-raising committee in Little River had raised $52,104, Mr Aydon said.

The 380 sq m complex comprises a hall and the Fire Service station. A low

link between the two will shelter service areas such as a storage room, kitchen, and appliance bay for the Fire Station. The last community hall at Little River was burnt down in 1968. To save money, a decision was made to combine the fire station and new hall. The official party will inspect the complex which will be opened by the member of Parliament for Selwyn, Miss Ruth Richardson. A welcome by the chairman of the County Council, Mr W. J. Thompson, will follow, with addresses by members of theparty.