A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 197, 14 May 1908, Page 8

A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.

NEW ,Y.M.C.A. BUILDING. WELL EQUIPPED FOR A BIG WORK. Those who have been intimately concerned with the designing of tho new Y.M.C.A. building, and tho planning of its interior arrangements,; lisvo ' achieved something greater than- most people imagine, something which can only bs realised by personal inspection of the . handsome structure which now stands, practically completed, in Upper Willis Street. ■' A few finishing touches require to be. added herb . and there, and it will'be a little while before everything is in going order/' A Dominion representative-paid a visit of inspection to tho building yesterday afternoon. Ho_ sot out with! the idea of obtaining a.description of.-'tlio building; what ho saw, however, was tho fabric of one of the greatest • tiqcial forces of thd' ajor. Tho details of the mesns, tho tools, so to,, speak, whereby "tho youth of tho. city was to bo'fashioned into mould of a clean, hoalthy, and vigorous manhood. Tho exterior of 'tho 'building ■is of tasteful, though unpretentious^. design.' Thoro are .two'entrances',"oho for the men, by the main door;'and the other for'. 1 boys, at the sido. On entering, the building.'by tho double glass swing doors, the., visitor; traverses tho reception room', a handkomo' and spacious hall, through the pillars'of which, on either sido, aro > social ! corners! The.'reception room is being"fiifniirlied by, tho''ladies"' auxiliary of tho Association, i .Facing, the visitor as he enters are the, offices; of,',tho staff. That of the general secretary (Mr. H. N. Holmes) is on the left, that of;the assistant secretary (Mr. Vernon Drew) in tho centre, and that of the director of physical training on the right. This, according to. Mr. Holmesj is business economy. Evpryono who comes into tho building .'inust. pass tho".offices. ' ; BASEMENT AND-FIRST FLOOR. ' .. Leaving. tlio reception hall, the visitor proceeds by a short flight of stops to the basement, tho wholo of which is practically given up to physical, culture. The' gymnasium itself is ' G4ft. long by 40ft. wide, and'is'_a 'very'liiie'lin.ll'; the equipment for tho various departments of physical training is duo to s arrive 'in. abnut.two months' time. ,The"" 'gym ".''is available, for both boys andmen.Separate' locker-'rooms and' showerbath rooms are provided for tho boys and men; this principle, in 'fact, has been made to apply' to tho design of tho whole building, it having been \debmed advisable that men. hnd boys should; except in tho " gym," be : separated, both as to control and accommodation. Two of the rooms 'in the 'basement have not 'yet-! been set out -for any particular purpose. Ono pf them, a long hall-like apartment, is suitable .for cricket practico' and* as a bowling alley ; it also londs itself oxeollontly for conversion into a largo swimming tank. Tho strong-room is also situated in the-basement. . . 1

' ■Tho'first floor consists of a ;largo lecturo hall, class-rooms, a spacious dining-room (40 ft.x4Qft.) ; the,kitchen, scullery, arid-pantry, l'ho Association intends to cater for its members, at; a: moderate tariff, and with this object has furnished, a dining-room with accommodation" for about 150 .members. 'A featuro of the, classrooms :is,,tho ingenious arrangement" 'of. ' shutter-pa'rt'itions, •• by means of which the apartmeints, may, bo, sub-divided or enlarged at: ,'a'" moment's notice. _ The 'partitions close up from the oentre, in either direction, like tho bellows of a concertina. ; THE UPPER'j FLOORS. , Thp' sccond floor,'is mainly given up to.the. boys';class-rooms and Teteeption room. Hero, tho'boys will bo under tho special supervision of their secretary;: no ono lias, yet Decn appointpd''to. this' .position.'" There.are also 13 sleeping. apartments ,oii" this . floor, while.-' on ,tW floor abovo' are .lio less than, 30 dormitories, :'sihglo and'doublo, a total of 43; threo, of 'the rooms are given' l over to. the caretaker, Mr.' White,-and,the management of the lodging arrangements will bo under tho control'of Mrs. White,. who will act as matron. , .Tho dormitories' ,£ll6 'well-lighted and attractively furnished. As, evidence ;;of the practical interest of,the ;commiinity in the work of'the :Y.M.C;A. may .bo- mentioned the fact that tho furnishing of these-dormitories.has been undertaken by private citizens; .The Associa-tion-will allot rooms/on application from members who wish to reside m tho building, and the "roohiers" will be'eharged from 7skto 10s. weekly. The lodging aqd boarding arrangements are to be , separate, financial ' departments, so that members may elect to board, lodge,"or. both, as .suits'their convenience. ■ ' THE ROOF GARDENs Last of all comes tho roof garden. The title is a.misnomer—at"presont,' at aU'events'.-. Tho idea .is American, and its chief featuro is that ,it affords an'admirable promenade in fine weather,' with 'th'o.'added -attraction-of'a perfect ..view.',.- A .commodious dark-room for camera hobbyists has been fitted up on the roof, and there the "fiend"' may do his worst, far'from the. madding,crowd below. Such is ' the . general..,scheme of the newY.M.C.A. building;;|whiqli, is to be formally d-odicatcd! on Simday-noxt. The social value of such an institution cannot be overestimated, and the Y.M.&A. on the eve of a new 'era.of : use'fulncss"has the'„best'wishcs of tho community. , ' ' 1