Community Centre Block Is Favoured by Council

Waikato Independent, Volume XLIV, Issue 6175, 19 March 1948, Page 5

Community Centre Block Is Favoured by Council

PROPOSED WAR MEMORIAL FOR CAMBRIDGE

A definite step forward towards the provision of a suitable war memorial for Cambridge was made at Wednesday night’s meeting of the Borough Council, when the suggestion was forthcoming that a community centre, including library, plunket rooms, a sound shell and other buildings, be erected on the corner of Victoria Square, near the Bank of New South Wales. A meeting of all local organisations is to be held on April 7 to discuss the scheme, when it is hoped to be able to give some estimate of the cost, and details concerning a Government subsidy.

The project was brought forward by Mr Colin Clark, when the proposed alterations' to the town hall were being discussed. He pointed out that the time must come when the library would have to be removed from the present building. If it could be embodied in a . war memorial project, then the difficulties of the hall improvement scheme would be overcome.

“As a returned serviceman, I would like any memorial to be alive, but quiet and dignified,” said Mr Clark He contended • that with some forms of memorials, the significance of them ■was often overlooked by succeeding generations. The Government would provide £1 for £1 subsidy on approved war memorials, and it was understood that community centres were favoured.

Mr Clark stressed the fact that whatever the outcome, the stores part of the town hall scheme would have to be proceeded with. It would probably be three years at the earliest before any memorial could become an established fact.

The Mayor, Mr K. L. Wilkinson, stated that the war memorial scheme had much in its favour, particularly as there was every prospect of securing a Government subsidy; f . .... ■. Mr C. V. Duignan agreed that there was the need for more adequate accommodation in the tojvjv h^ll ? particularly in connection with the supper room and cloak rooms. The whole town hall project would be simplified If the library were removed, Mr A. J. S. Richardson said the community centre was a new angle of

town hall were adequate, but stated that the library had improved by 60 per cent in the last three years. Mrs E. E. Taylor considered the war memorial proposal to be excellent. She thought something should be done right away as people were very apt to forget. If the project took three years to complete, it would be a long time to delay the stores scheme. The Mayor: I am afraid there is no alternative to that at the moment. At this stage it was decided to defer the discussion to the next council meeting on April 14, and the Mayor was requested to call a public meeting on April 7.

discussion on war memorials. He considered the idea very good. The buildings would be useful as well as a memorial. As far as the provision of more accommodation for stores was concerned, Mr Mervyn Wefts had always been opposed to stores being held at the town hall. As far as the provision of more accommodation for stores was concerned, Mr Mervyn Wells, said he had always been opposed to stores being held at the town hall. He considered the Duke Street depot or the gas--works, where the bulk of the work -was done to be better centres. However, he would fall in with the wishes of the majority. He thought the facilities for entertainment in the