BROADWAY

Evening Star, Issue 20980, 19 December 1931, Page 19

BROADWAY

SHOPPING CENTRE OPENED COMPANY CONGRATULATED ON BUILDING Broadway, the latest shopping centre and civic adornment, on the site of Farley’s Arcade, was officially opened yesterday afternoon, when the modern street, with its neat and artistic shops, opening out on to a paved and flower bedded street, was packed with a crowd that reminded the older residents of Saturday nights in tho Arcade’s heyday. In declaring Broadway opened, the Mayor (Mr R. S. Black) recalled the days when it was the centre of Dunedin’s shopping activities. When he himself had first come to Dunedin he had been told to go straight and see the Arcade. Everyone was proud of it then, anil everyone went to it and through it as often as possible. Its day had come and gone, however, and now they were there to see the opening of a new shopping centre which he sincerely hoped would be as popular as the area it was replacing. That day was a red letter day for Dunedin. It saw the substitution of a place of beauty and usefulness for what bad for many years been little better than a slum area. The Arcade Building Company was to be congratulated upon the excellent job it had made of the rebuilding, and he thought that the people of Dunedin owed it a deep debt of gratitude for the contribution it had inixie to tho beautifying of the city. The directors had spared no expense to make the new block a credit to Dunedin and to New Zealand, and he felt that it was due to them that people should patronise those who had entered into business in Broadway, in order that the members of the company might reap their due reward for the initiative and enterprise they had shown in going ahead with such a large project in the face of serious difficulties. The speaker .referred to the proposal that the Arcade should be purchased for the city, and said that many of those who had voted against the proposal would live to regret the attitude they had taken up - in the matter. It was too late now, however, to worry about that, and in any case he was very doubtful whether any better job could have been made of the new area even if the City Corporation had acquired it. As it was at present it was a place of which everyone could be proud. In this respect Dunedin had given a lead to the whole of the dominion, in the, same way that it showed the way to the rest of the country in other matters, and it was now up to the people of Dunedin to make the fullest use of the excellent shopping facilities provided. Mr Black then declared Broadway open, and called for three cheers for those who were responsible for its rebuilding. Mr J. B. Nichol (acting chairman of directors) said they were very grateful to the mayor for accepting the invitation to officiate at the reopening of the buildings. The directors regretted that many . of the tenants were not quite ready to display their wares, but in the interest of the others the opening could not be further postponed. It was a matter of very great satisfaction to the members of the company to realise that the old Arcade, although in somewhat different form, was once again to be one of the attractions of the city; and they were optimistic enough to believe that it was once more to be one of the chief shopping centres. On committing themselves to the rebuilding scheme tli© company found it had raised isomo doubt as to the sanity of the directors. Instead of following the safe course and avoiding all unnecessary expenditure until the end of the financial depression, the company preferred to follow the dictates of its own judgment. He was pleased to be able to announce that.the courage had been justified, and that the expectations in regard to the success of the venture had been fully realised. On behalf of the company he thanked all who had been associated with it in the undertaking. In the first place they had to thank the City Council for its assistance and encouragement, and for undertaking the laying out of the gardens. The company had no doubt that under the control of Mr Tannock’s department the flower beds will contribute to the beauty of the city. They had to thank Mr James Fletcher for the general scheme, and for the zeal and energy, and also for the eloquence he displayed in getting it under way. To his company and its very capable foreman, Mr Knox, thanks are due for the efficient and satisfactory manner in which the work had been carried out. The architect, Mr M‘Dowell Smith, was worthy of all praise. He has given something unique, not only for Dunedin, but for New Zealand as well—something of which he might well be proud. To all the sub-contractors, who numbered altogether about fifteen, and by whom the great bulk of the work was done, the company’s thanks were also due. Each one had given of his best. In concluding he expressed regret that Mr Alfred James, chairman of the company from its inception, was unable to be present at the opening. Although prevented by illness from taking an active part in the venture, he has supported the efforts with enthusiasm. It was a matter of much satisfaction to Mr James to know that the optimism that he had all along displayed in regard to the future of the Arcade property had been fully justified. SUCCESS TOASTED. After the official ceremony was concluded the directors of the company entertained the representatives of the City Corporation, those connected with the construction of the new blocks, and business men at an informal gathering in one of the upstairs apartments. Mr J. Scurr proposed the toast of the architect, Mr H. M‘Dowell Smith, and referred in appreciative terms to the work that gentleman was doing at the present time, making special reference to the part he had played in the rebuilding of the Arcade. Dir 51‘Dowell Smith, in reply, said it had been a great pleasure to undertake the work, and paid a tribute to the thoroughness of the original construction by Mr llenrv Spears, which for all its age was still in the best of repair. Mr J. Woods proposed the toast of the contractors and sub-contractors, and Mr S. Ingram responded. Mr James Brown, in proposing the toast of the mayor and councillors, spoke of the assistance the syndicate had received from the City Corporation. Crs Wilson, Marlow, and Hayward replied, all wishing the company the best of success in its venture, and commending it for the enterprise and initiative which had resulted in so worthy a civic improvement. The toast of .the directors of the company was enthusiastically honoured, particular mention being made of Mr A. James, who was absent from tho ceremony as a result of illness. SELECTING THE NAME, In reply, Mr J., B. Nichol gave an interesting and amusing account of the deliberations which preceded the final naming of tho new area. It had really been a" matter of considerable difficulty for the directors, and a lot of difference of opinion arose before it .was eventu-

ally decided to call the place Broadway. “The tenants,” said Mr Nichol, “ wanted something snappy which they could feature in advertising. Our original intention to call it the Arcade Company’s Buildings hardly suited them, and we had perforce to look round for something better.” It had been suggested, he said, that they should call it Phoenix place, since like the famous bird of that name, it had arised out of its own ashes, hut there had been objections to that name. Then he himself had thought of calling it St. James .place, but as there were too many directors with the name of Janies that had to be abandoned. Newmarket was the next suggestion, but that also had been ruled out as suggesting a fish market or something of the kind. “ Then some bright spirit thought of Broadway. The name appealed to some of us, but others thought it too American. They did not like the idea of following New York. The name was too Yankee and conjured up visions of the gold-diggers of Broadway, which was hardly complimentary to the tenants. By this time the tenants were becoming importunate, and the directors could not reach a decision. We could not call it an arcade, and finally they appealed to the architect. He, however, referred it back to the directors, and they were no further forward. We then decided to consult the tenants, and submitted to them a list of names beginning with Broadway and ending with Broadway. The choice was Broadway. Moreover, we found that the name was not peculiar to New York. London had half a dozen Broadways, and even in New Zealand there were others at Timaru, Christchurch, Auckland, Palmerston North, and other places. And so we called it Broadway.” Speaking of the project itself, Mr Nichol said the syndicate had put £15,000 into the work, but they were quite confident that they would get it all back again. By undertaking the work at so unfavourable a time they had provoked not a little ridicule, but they themselves were quite sure of the outcome of the venture. They liked to think that they had provided work for many men at a time when there was so much unemployment, but they deserved little credit for that, since they expected to, and would, reap dividends as a result of it.