£10,000 PROJECT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23902, 28 February 1941, Page 8

£IO,OOO PROJECT

COMMUNITY CENTRE SHOWERS AND CLINIC FREEMAN'S BAY SCHEME Plans for the provision of a modern community service clinic and bathhouse at Freeman's Bay to replace the present makeshift centre housed in the destructor buildings were submitted to the City Council last night. The proposal put forward by the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, was that the council should make available a site at the eastern end of the destructor property, known as liillingfou's Corner, for the erection of a two-storev building at a cost of about £IO.OOO. The proposal was deferred lor three weeks to enable the Finance and Property Committees to report on it. Needs of the Area It has been estimated that there are approximately 800 families living in the Freeman's Hay area who have no bathing facilities in their houses, and to meet this difficulty the City Council some years ago provided shower baths adjacent to the destructor, using the steam from the furnaces to heat the water. At this place residents are allowed to bathe, wash and iron their clothes, and men are given facilities for shaving and liaircutting, while every morning some .'SO men. are provided with tea and toast. In addition provision has been made for the treatment of minor ailments, a visiting nurse being in attendance at certain hours. The Mayor said that the city engineer. Mr. J. Tyler, had prepared designs for a two-storey building which would contain showers, a spacious clinic, wasli-liouse, fumigating room and possibly a small hall. Conditional Donations Offered

The Mayor continued that toward the cost, of the project several conditional donations had been offered. The Freeman's Hay Christian Community Service organisation had offered to make available £2500 from the T. E. Smith estate, and £2500 from the John Court Memorial Trust; the Auckland Metropolitan Unemployment .Relief Committee had made a grant of £2OOO, and the Government had intimated its willingness to contribute a similar sum. Tito Mayor's proposal was that the City Council make the site, valued at £2OOO, available for the building, and also contribute a sum of £2OOO. It would be seen, added the Mayor, that . capital requirements could be satisfied, but there remained the question of annual maintenance of upkeep. the cost of which should be assessed and the provision of it definitely assured.