CITY’S SHARE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26918, 2 November 1948, Page 6

CITY’S SHARE

I! ' i! UNIVERSITY PLANS jj _ 11 DEVELOPMENT SCHEME {; r ji ’ ART GALLERY PROVISION i ‘ ' i • *1 A The future disposition of the ;t Museum block of land in King street and the provision of a site for a future L public art gallery opposite the Dental gchool in the plan for the development i! of the University of Otago led to a js lengthy debate at a meeting of the Council last night. The Finance Committee recom- !. 4 mended that general approval, in prin- : V ciple, be given to the proposed J- development, scheme and the Univer’>l sit’y authorities be advised. Cr Armi- !• tage made a strong plea that building t j should not be undertaken on council ‘i reserves, such as the Museum Reserve. The chairman of the Finance Com•I mittee. Cr Taverner, said that the art ■ gallery was a desirable objective as i a cultural centre in the block. The I, land suggested for the art gallery was !* privately owned —it did not belong to <J either the University or the city of 1 - Dunedin. The City Council did not propose to acquire that area. Those sponsoring the University plan thought t, that the art gallery would be a desirable amenity. “No proposal has been discussed—it can be considered by \ future councils if they see fit,” Cr Taverner said. “The Finance Committee is of the opinion that general approval should be given to the plan for University development.” Councillor’s Opposition i‘ Moving that the committee’s recom- >! mendation should not be adopted, Cr Armitage considered that the council ’ < should approve of the development plan, with the exception of the area set aside for the art gallery and the Museum Reserve. i “There is no keener supporter of Ee University than I,” said Cr Armige, “ but. as councillors, we have to \ keep the balance in the community. ; ; We have to decide what can be done •! tor the University and what cannot, i f feel that the line should be drawn at the Museum, reserve.” ■ Referring to the proposed Bite foi' the art gallery on portion of the King : street, Albany street, Cumberland '» street and Frederick street block opj> flosite the present site of the Dental <j School, Cr Armitage said they had hot been told who was to be respon- !* fible for the erection of a gallery or •: whether the site was suitable, and j> other details. Questions such as those sjiould hot be the subject of general approval by the council. !> * The Museum reserve block contained <[ uve acres of which one acre had been *. vested in the University Council and , Entrusted as a site for a museum. The present building more or less covered »; tihat site to-day. The balance of four ’ i dcres was a reserve for public recre- ’ ation. Reserves Set Aside i “ That and the North Ground were ■! set aside as reserves, by the pioneers,” Qr Armitage said. "Yet we find part • ; of a reserve filched for a post office •i and a police station. In the near •* future however, that area will be returned to its original trust.” 'i »The University development plan also indicated that the Union Street s' School and the old Training College ji building would be removed in the .* near future. A substantial building • was planned where the school stood ’* to-day. There was also a proposal to take up another acre of the Museum ■> reserve with an extension to the S'. Musdum. “I do not think we should >( solemnly agree to a further raid on Ji the reserve,” Cr Armitage said. The speaker said that the provision ji of a new art gallery was not in’ any !j _way decided, and he urged that no •'-future City Council should be em•„~.barrassed by any decision of the present council. Cr Armitage strongly criticised the proposal to erect buildfigs on city reserves, as in the plan, hey had a duty to protect the re- * serves. , s The pioneers had made a few errors fn not setting aside sufficient land for the development of the University, and the proposed plan would tie yp the University, the Dental School, and the Medical School, Cr Sidey said. jThe provision of an art gallery did hot bind the council at all. It was bound to permit extensions to the Museum —the land between the Museum and Cumberland street was no good for anything, and two departments of the University—the zoology and botany departments—which should be close to the Museum, would be there. - The Museum Reserve was never big enough for a playing area, and the University should be given ; the portion of land backing on to Cumberland Street, said Cr Jolly. . Cr Smith: The little bit of reserve We might be giving is out of proportion 'to the benefits accruing to the tity and the University. I feel that this council should not approve of' a flan in which a site for an art gallery is notea, as such an action would be discourteous. to the council of - the Art Gallery. Society, whom we have hot approached. Also, approval of sfich a plan oh principle might be held against the council m future. ■, “The area occupied by the Union Street School would be a fine property for the University to get, said the Mayor, Sir Donald Cameron. This is along-term plan, and all we are asked to do is to encourage the University Council in its long-term policy for the" future development of the Unif 6 ‘‘We might well take the step by saying to the University, ‘Go ahead, leaving the art gallery question for experts,” said Cr E. J. Anderson. The Finance Committees recom'mendation was carried, with an ment proposed by Cr Smith that any reference to a site for a future public art gallery be deleted. Cr Armitage asked that his vote against the motion be recorded.