A CIVIC CENTRE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 256, 26 July 1937, Page 6

A CIVIC CENTRE

Question Again Before City Council NEW LIBRARY RAISES ISSUE Witli Hie prospective letting of a tender for the erection of the new Municipal Central Library, on the .Mercer Street site. the Wellington City Council is addressing itself io the furtherance of the creation of that civic centre which lias been the ideal of many citizens. Ever since the late King George V laid Hie foundation-stone of the Town Hall at the beginning of Hie century, there lias, from time to time, been expressed a desire to take in the whole of that central block of land bounded by Lower Cuba Street, Wakefield Street, and Mercer Street. There was only one owner, oilier than Hie local authority, interested in it, ar that time—the Wellington Education Board, which owns the block between Hie Town Hull anil the existing central library (including the two-story brick building formerly the property of the Technical College, erected out of the profits of the industrial exhibition held on that site many years ago). Originally the education board purchased its site at a very low figure from the council, some years after the To. At’O reclamation scheme in that quarter was completed : but when the council, owing to the growth of its activities, desired to reacquire the site, it found property values very firm. Some six or seven years ago the education board was approached with a proposal that it should either sell the block to the council or exchange it for another area of laud elsewhere. The board was quite open to the suggestion, as its offices bad for some time been considered out of date. Negotiations occupied some considerable time. As the upshot the council agreed to pay Hie board £51.000, wliieli was considered a high figure. Since that time little or nothing lias been done in the matter, but now, when the council can see clearly ahead the erection of the new library and the demolition of the old one, the situation advances a stride, particularly as there is a proposal before the council to make better provision for its staffs. That: was suggested by the Civic Commission of 1932, which advised building on the site at the rear of the Town Hall.

New Concert Halls. An even larger view has been taken of the opportunity which offers to provide something in the nature of an ideal plan for the development of the block on modern lines. It has been suggested on more than one occirsion that the city halls for public events and entertainments tire not as modern or so well placed as they might be. Tlie Town Hall is 34 years of age, and js “dated.” The Concert Chamber, although altered ir little, as far as the stage is concerned, is by no means ideal for any class of entertainment. Being parallel and next to busy Cuba Street, musical items are often marred by exterior noises. As for the main Town Hall, it may be large enough, but its stage and back-of-stage appointments are almost archaic. Proposals have been made, so far, perhaps, somewhat vaguely, to convert the present halls into offices, perhaps with a central light well in the middle of the big hall, and provide two new halls on the block between the ’Down Hall and the old Central Library. It. is the intention of the Education Boat'd to provide new offices for its staff on Hie site of the old Mount Cook Girls' School in Buckle Street. This school is over 60 years of age, and has not been occupied as such for some time past. It is on the list for demolition. The new offices will have to be set back to the new alignment on the southern side of Buckle Street, which is to be an SO-foot street some time in tlie,future.