Renovations To The Old Y.M.C.A. Building

Waikato Independent, Volume XLV, Issue 6245, 30 May 1949, Page 5

Renovations To The Old Y.M.C.A. Building

Those residents who have happened to pass along the Lake Street side of the Town Hall will, no doubt, have heard builders at work on the premises of Mr L. A. Williams, funeral director; but they would not realise the extent of the operations without a closer inspection. The curiosity of an Independent representative disclosed that extensive building and renovating is going on. The occupier and owner of the premises, Mr Williams stated in conversation that it was his intention to have the old building fully renovated and brought back to as sound a condition as possible. lAt the moment employees of S.P.N.D. ! are constructing a five inch reinforced concrete wall on the northern side of the building. The job is not a straightgoing one, for all of the operations have to be carried out from inside the build ing. Actually the old wooden wall lias been pulled down and a section of the floor cut away for about 6 feet the en- | tire length of the building. This was necessary to allow the scaffolding and boxing to be built. | When this wall is completed it is Mr j Williams' intention to proceed with the southern side. The front will also be remodelled, while the back wall will re ceive attention. When the work is finally completed the premises will constitute practicallv n 7iew building with the exception of the roof. THE OLD Y.M.C.A. To the majority of the younger residents this building will be known only as a business one; but old identities will remember it will as the Y.M.C.A. In fact earlier still it was a gymnasium building associated with St Paul's Meth odist Church in Queen street. The Independent representative went aiong to Mr H. Davys, (senior), and soon found he was on the right track when Mr Davys said, "yes, I could tell you a lot about Ijhat building." '-Well, wliat about telling us a little!" asked the reporter,, and Mr Davys was soon reminiscing in interesting fashion of Cambridge nearly fifty years ago. "I know what I'm talking about," smiled Mr Davys, "for I had the job over 40 year ago of removing the building from the back of the Methodist Church to Lake Street." Mr Davys remembers quite well that it was used as a welfare room for the congregation and particularly as a gymnasium. He recalls the gym. classes and that the instructor in .Ids time was the late J. J. Collis.

Mr Davys recalls that a Mr Ellis was an Executive of the Y.M.C.A. in those days and it was under his direction that the work of removal was carried out. There are plenty of residents who can well remember the Cambridge Y.M.C.A. It was a flourishing institution thirty years ago. The front portion in those days was a social room, with billiard tables, while behind it was a fine gymnasium, well equipped.

Now much of the old building and the atmosphere of the Y.M.C.A. is passing and being replaced by materials that will last longer than existing genera tions. Still, that is progress, which must come to Cambridge as elsewhere.