Another Community Building Sold by ACRN

A long established community building in Kingsland is the next asset lined up for sale by ACRN Councillors after a decision by the Finance and Corporate Affairs Committee of the Auckland City Council on Thursday 21 August. The building at 10 New Bond Street also has links with history. In the building is a plaque commemorating the enormous contribution of the late Hilary Shackleton. Hilary, a former Mt Albert City Councillor, worked tirelessly for the Kingsland Community in the 1970s and 1980s.

Finance Committee Councillors Northey, Hucker and Victoria Carter voted against the sale of the Community Facility. Eden Albert Councillors Mark Donnelly and Greg Mckeown joined their other ACRN Councillors to vote for the sale.

Says Cr Northey, "To claim that the previous Council agreed to sell the building is a cop-out. Circumstances change and we saw during the annual plan process so many worthy organisations begging for community space to do their work and reach more people. The spirit of meanness under this ACRN Council will cost ratepayers in the future."

Local ward Councillor Glenda Fryer is appalled at the haste of the Committee especially when it goes against a decision by the Eden Albert Community Board who wanted to retain the House for community use.

"The Eden Albert Community Board were persuaded by a petition of Kingsland Business people and the local residents at their July meeting and decided that the Community House should not be sold. It is irresponsible for the ACRN Councillors on the Finance Committee to ignore the views of the community and the certain future population growth in Kingsland, and flog off valuable public assets that the community needs." Says Councillor Fryer.

"This community has seen more growth in migrant communities than many other suburbs. Local and friendly community houses like the one at Bond Street fulfil a very important role in creating a sense of community and providing services for new migrants to settle more easily into new Zealand life." says Eden Albert Community Board member Wendy Davies. She adds " This is the second of three Community facility Eden Albert that have got the 'chop' since ACRN came into power. "The only thing ACRN Councillors seem to care about is how much money will the sale of the New Board Street house will bring in" said Councillor Fryer. "Yet the money will probably be all be spent outside the ward on the Eastern motorway.

Local businessman and founder and member of the Kingsland Business and community network Richard Howard said "Whatever the money is spent on, it belongs historically to this community, especially at a time of substantial residential expansion in Kingsland. I am naturally disappointed that the Finance Committee bulldozed their way to sale. I for one could have provided several options for alternative use to this building. Now that the die has been cast - the money should be set aside in a Trust for projects benefiting Kingsland residents."

"The late Hilary Shackleton, a former Mt Albert City Councillor who worked tirelessly for the Kingsland Community in the 1970s and 1980s has a commemoration plaque in the Community House and the officers have neglected to even refer to this in their report. We can only wonder what the fate of this plaque will be," says Councillor Fryer

Posted Tue 02 Sep 2003