Ag 28 november, 2014

Page 1

Friday, Nov 28, 2014

Since Sept 27, 1879

Retail $1.50 Home delivered from 95c

THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY

Landlord’s rental trashed P3 ASHBURTON

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Back to the past It is wooden rackets and whites for Neil McCann and David Askin, as Mid Canterbury Tennis takes a trip down memory lane for the Ashburton Domain’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

FULL STORY

P24

■ WINZ BUILDING PURCHASE

Council to pledge $500k BY SUE NEWMAN

SUE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ

For half a million dollars, ratepayers will own a property that represents one of the most tragic events in the Ashburton District’s history, the Work and Income Building on Cass Street. Yesterday the Ashburton District Council’s Finance and Business Support Committee passed a recommendation to sign over $500,000 towards the purchase of the property, following an appeal for assistance made last month by Community House trustees. That purchase will give new

life to a building that was the scene of a double shooting fatality in September and it will also provide a new home for Community House Mid Canterbury. A conditional agreement has been signed to buy the property, which will cost $1.1 million, plus estimated fit-out costs of $720,000. Community House is home to about 40 community groups covering a wide range of social services. It was previously housed in a council-owned building on the corner of Cass and Tancred Street but this was sold for

$240,000 and demolished after the Canterbury earthquakes. The organisations working under the Community House umbrella relocated to a smaller property with some forced to seek off-site accommodation. The council has supported the social services hub since 1994. In his pitch for a grant, trust funding chair Kieran O’Hagan said that since the relocation to a smaller building some services had been reduced and the community was missing out. “With a council partnership we believe buying this building is eminently achievable but

council support is vital,” he told councillors last month. “It’s imperative Community House be re-established in more suitable premises; if we don’t we lose our ability to be the hub for the community, serving the community.” In supporting the grant, councillor Don McLeod said it was important Community House was restarted in a new location. “I know they have a funding plan in mind and already have $100,000 confirmed – providing the council backs the project. “I’m very confident the Com-

munity House board will manage to find the rest of the money,” he said. Mayor Angus McKay also backed the grant saying the council had a responsibility, not necessarily to pay for the service but to assist the community in obtaining social services. Since the request for funding was made, Mr McKay said he had not heard a word against the project in the community. The committee recommended the grant be conditional on the trust confirming it had sufficient funding from other sources to complete the purchase. Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe!

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