UNIVERSITY CLUB OPENED

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31003, 8 March 1966, Page 18

UNIVERSITY CLUB OPENED

The University of Canterbury had long considered the formation of a graduates’ association to bring the university and community still closer together and now this hope had been realised in a unique combination of men and women, said the president (Brigadier J. T. Burrows) when he officially opened the new University Club last evening.

Brigadier Burrows said the function last evening was arranged for those whose direct support had made the club possible. Mr N. B. Ullrich, chairman of the association and dub, said both organisations filled a real need for graduates and diploma holders to share the life of the university. Within the structure of the.

association, the club had been formed to offer a meeting place in “quietly luxurious surroundings,” dining facilities, lounge, reading, and writing rooms. Mr Ullrich said this was the first mixed chartered club in New Zealand and also the first chartered university club. Permanent Display

Mr M. F. Warren had designed the decor “from the carpet to the light fittings” and, Mr Ullrich said, the club would be a permanent display of New Zealand manufacturers in textiles, glassware, crockery and many other lines. Mr Ullrich thanked the Vice-Chancellor (Dr. L. L. Pownall) for his personal support and many in the university who had given assistance.

The University Club is in the former Velvet . Glove restaurant in Worcester street between Cathedral square and the university. Amid tonings of “sea and shore,” the visitor mounts

stairs flanked by coarsegrained brown hessian. The main clubroom of more than 2000 sq. ft. has a specially-woven carpet of broad blue and grey stripes, these colours are repeated in the draperies, and white hessian wall coverings set off the rich mahogany and teak woodwork.

The dining space has a semicircular screen of vertical battens in mahogany and the bar is round the curve of the L thus formed. On the other

side of the stair landing is a quiet room for reading and writing. Cost £lO,OOO The conversion cost £lO,OOO. The club has opened with 830 members for whom it will provide morning and afternoon teas, smorgasbord, and hot lunches daily and a dinner perhaps once a week initially. The manager is Mr M. L. Bemacci, the hostess is Miss Ann Free and the chef is Mr J. van Arendonk.