BUILDING ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 109, 31 January 1908, Page 8

BUILDING ACTIVITY.

the Y.M.C.Ays : NEW'HOME.i' TO 'BE OCCUPIED IN ' APRIL. ' w?i' IC o 4 '. c :C-A.'-building in' Upper' Willis Street is will be enriched by one of, the; finest buildings of-it's class, in the. .whole • of- the; Dominion, and. it vnll bo with .no small prido that- Wollingi ton folk will, point: to.'it.and say—''Wo/built it ourselvqs—but ; 'qf; our ,wli. pockets.,:'.; It certainly is - a credit ' t0... tjie - city; aij'd, -.tli.e. people, and when-Mr.'Secretary'. Holmes!s'avs that > he cannot-.understand - liow.. Weliingt'on people are referred to so .freauentiv as '"'ii'brdidly ■ commercial;" he ' speaks, with fejling and glows with enthusiasm, as ho. watches the bricks piling up skywaHL At the invitatioqof'that urbane official/a Dominion representative was escorted over the building and fqund it in its finishing, stages. We cxpect.: to get into our, new-, honie early.in April'.' said Mr. Holmes, "in time for tho winter's work."

That _ it'is admirably, 'if not palatiallT, suited for the work of the i'.ALC.A: is seeii at. a glance. Its :front .elpyatib'n of ; red pressedbrick and concreto',' plain yet' archi- , tecturaljy pleiising,- is solidly.impreMive. ;The mam set fair in the centre, consism of . a broad .flight- of steps' .that -.'termi-' nates in a double set of swing doors, opening into commodious vestibule, oh oiie side''of' wluch is a broad'pfojecting: open fireplace of r«i pressed brick, completed with, a deip mantel-shelf of terra co'ttai,' In this hallway will bo placed lounges and chairs , fbr the weary, and no ono will be allowed to linger awkwardly round "loqking.:for some ono," as the office'at one end will command through its glass windows a view of the vostibnlo. Off t-lip'vestibule will bo the'library and writing room, and on the other sido a capacious parlour witlva ■' great "cosy ' corner for members, visitors, and friends to meet'and part in.. At the head of'-the, vestibnlo lire the secretary's and physical training instructor's, offices, and between, them are thrco or, four steps down, that'lands.dno'o'n• the'floor of"the gymnasium, a fine, hut perfectly plain,- hall, -66ft. in length by 4'Oft'in breadth, and 21ft. in height. ' It is roughly embellished with'-a' pliiin gallery for- visitors, 'which ■. subso-'. quently may bo extended round. the room for. the purpose of- a running gallery, where tlio Y.M;C.A. pedestrians '- may tram,- .independent of tlie'Basin Reserve. Below the ground .floor is a vast 'basement, ; half, of which is to bo dovoted-.to dressing and locker rooms',, and ..the other half '-(80ft.. «i--length); to; a bowling alley,''shooting-.gallery; or other similar sports. '- 1 / ■-■ • ■ • ; . . Climbing! the/ breeze concrete stairs (that traverse t-lio building'from 1 basement toiro'of); the T social hall (66ft. x"3oft.) strikes one as | being, just tho k tKing for emphasising the social side' of. Y.MIC.A- life. It runs across th.!-front of tbo building',, and! should scat li cp'aplo.of Ijundred- podplo and another 50 at'a pinch. . At the rear "pf the first floor is the dining-room' (iOft. x' iOft,.), largo enough for a first-class, hotel, and. ciose. handy is .a largo kitchen .with-a ,7ft. ..raiige; a . scrvery and That'-.a' culinary depiirtiiient-Js necessary is. obvious, for. the cecond and- top .floors,.contain 110 jess.' thaii ■13 bcdrooms^doiiblp.-ajid'single—for the a'ccbnimodation' of young men. owing allegiance to the Y.MiC.A., There are 15 .bedrooms'qn' the s'ccond floor, in addition to : several' class and'' comniitt'ee- roonis;' . 28 ion 'the"'top floor.and 'on. cadi of; t-heso floors' is a, : large coucrete-flbored toilet"'rooiiif, conta'iiiing''fbur partitioned .shower ..baths,.' four- liqt; aiid ; ,cqld' water;'band , basins, ono' plungeV bath," aiid other accessories. All the robins'ar.o'fairly, large, well-lighted, and are finished in white puli) piaster. The building has v a splendid flat roof, .finished in Limmer asphalt,. whore, with the. aid of nets,' cricket and kindred games will bo possiblo in lino weather." There' is' also a dark-room for photographic purposes on' the The . Y.M.C.A. still. wants money for, the furnishing of the building. The big canvass realised- £10,000,' but'tbo contract' 'pride was £13,000, which, with extras, may. amount to £14,000. A, subsequent appeal'for furnishing money realised another £2000, which: has had to bo exponded'on the building, 'so that more money is necdell if the building is to-bo opened free of debt. Two ladies havo promised to furnish bedrooms, and further offers of'a like character are anticipated, but -tho Y3I.C.A. will have to ask again, and tlio public know by this time that their methods of asking are peculiarly, effective.'