Friday, October 31, 2014
Since Sept 27, 1879
Retail $1.50 Home delivered from 95c
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
INSIDE:
Closed sign goes up in Allenton P3 ASHBURTON
www.guardianonline.co.nz
Old-timer comes out for show A 1940s Sunshine harvester is readied by Todd Holmes for the Ashburton A&P Show beginning today.
FULL STORY
P3
Group eyes Winz building BY SUE NEWMAN
SUE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Ashburton’s Winz building, the scene of a double homicide in September, is likely to become a new home for Ashburton’s Community House. Funding chair Kieran O’Hagan has asked the Ashburton District Council to partner with it in buying the now vacant building. His board appreciated the sensitivity surrounding the building but believed it was a good site from which to provide social services. It had a condition-
al agreement to buy the building, subject to securing funding and grants, he said. “We do not underestimate the challenge of securing the purchase of this building but our view is, that your support is absolutely critical to our being able to settle the purchase and enable us to continue to grow and service all members of our community,” Mr O’Hagan said. While he wasn’t talking figures, a “fair market” price had been established. Those figures will be part of a proposal the board will present at the next
council finance and business support committee meeting. The council has supported the social services hub since 1994, buying a building on the corner of Cass and Tancred Street as its base. This was home to more than 40 organisations by 2011 and more than 26,000 people had accessed its services and information. The building was damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes and the service hub relocated to a building behind the Westpac Bank. While this provided a good base, it was far too small
for the organisation’s needs, Mr O’Hagan said. It had looked at other buildings and at bare land, but these were either too small or too expensive. The Winz building was the perfect size and in a good location, he said. “With a council partnership we believe buying this building is eminently achievable but council support is vital.” The Ministry of Social Development, families of the shooting victims and past staff who worked in the building were comfortable with the sale
as were current Community House tenants, Mr O’Hagan said. He is confident that if the council supported the purchase, money would also come from grants. “It’s imperative Community House be re-established in more suitable premises; if we don’t we’ll lose our ability to be the hub for the community, serving the community. Our district is growing and the need for social services will only grow too.” Community House is run by a charitable trust board. Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe!
Weather: High 14˚ - Overnight 4˚ Page 22
Puzzles: Page 21
Television: Page 23
Family Notices: Page 22
www.guardianonline.co.nz