182.Lakeside Soldiers Memorial Hall, Leeston

Memorial hall receives funding boost

Matthew Salmons/stuff 16:28, Jul 18 2017

Despite concerns of setting precedent and budget constraints, the Selwyn District Council (SDC) voted in favour of increasing funding for the Lakeside Soldiers Memorial Hall rebuild at their meeting on Wednesday. The project was budgeted at $1.6 million, and the SDC's contribution increased from 10 per cent of the cost ($167,788) to 25 per cent ($417, 697).

Further funding would come from insurance, community contributions and fundraising targeted at $100,000.

Denis Carter hopes the new Lakeside Hall will be as much of a community hub as its predecessor. Lakeside Memorial Hall Management Committee (LMHMC) chair Denis Carter said the old hall had formed the hub of the small community near Leeston, even serving as the mail depot.

"We're really passionate about the hall here," Carter said. He said residents had celebrated the result of the council meeting on Wednesday night.

The new hall would be made up of long hall - based on the Lords Cricket ground hall in London - with views over Harts Creek to the Southern Alps beside an open courtyard and storage rooms. Carter said the design allowed for expansion using a marquee and the potential for a retractable roof over the courtyard.

There would also be parking on site for the larger events Carter said would provide most of the hall's income. Although no confirmed date had been set for construction, members of the LMHMC hoped it would open by September 2018, or November 11 to coincide with the centenary of Armistice Day.

The original hall was built in 1916 to honour the service of the men of the area who served in the Boer War and WWI.

Damaged in the 2010 earthquakes, it was subsequently demolished. The creek behind had an interesting history of its own, being a mahinga kai site and one time fishing spot for the Queen Mother in 1966.

During the debate at Wednesday's SDC meeting, Councillor Mark Alexander said he opposed the proposal as it would cost council more per rateable property than similar projects in the district.

"I'd be happy with a contribution at that [lower] level. There's no equity in this proposal."

Councillor John Morten said increasing the funding would set a precedent and leave other communities expecting the same level of funding from the council.

"We're asking the whole district to contribute to the building of this new facility. For every other community facility, why wouldn't they then expect 25 per cent?"  If the group had not received the increased funding, Carter said it would have resulted in an embarrassment for the community.

"I think [the result] is only fair and equitable. We're pretty excited."

LMHMC member Ian Lochhead, whose family hailed from the area, presented the case for increased funding to the SDC on last week. Denis Carter at the side of Harts Creek, an area resident’s hope will be a popular spot for photos of weddings at the new Lakeside Soldiers Memorial Hall.

He said the hall was the hub of the community, and crucial for the small town's sense of community.

"Its replacement would be an important stage of earthquake recovery," Lochhead said.

Lochhead's great-uncle was one of the 14 listed on the honour roll of those Lakeside men who had served and died in WWI. "We have deep roots in this area." He said the hall would be a "niche facility", catering for larger events that other halls in the area could not.

The LMHMC had received confirmation from yoga, martial arts and ballet groups that they would move to the hall upon its completion.