PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2149, 15 May 1914, Page 8

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

CITY'S TOWN HALL BLOCK EXTENSION TO COVER WHOLE TRIANGLE AN ATTRACTIVE SCHEME During the course of liis mxtalfcaiion speeeii recently the Mayor (Sir. 3. l>. Lake) made mention of two apiwijioiitly distinct and urgent matters'. wlikh would havo to bo given immediate attention. Ono was the fact that owing to the Almost permanent stntn of congestion at the Central Library extensions would have to be niii.fk "jit ones, and the other Was the absolute need for providing nioro office accflHiiiiod.itifttt at t!io Town Hall, Tho Central Library forms the apex of a triangular ■block of land, of which the Town Hall is tho base, . This Mock is taii-ided' bv Lower Cuba Street on the cast, Wa.kefiold (late Victoria) Street to the south and south-West, and Mercer Street to tho north. _At both ends of the triangle extensions are needed to municipal buildings, whilst, in between -exists practically only ene block of buildings —the hlock occupied by the Wellington Education Board and the Wellington Technical Education Board. An Imposing Block, Tile Technical School must, soo-fior or Inter, be accommodated in new , and far more commodious .pfeniises.--lj»at need lias been voiced tiinc a-tid again durfoag ; the Inst two years. Tiro school out of tho \'.'ay, the only Iwkiy ' affected would ' be tho Wellington Education Baafd, 1 tvhieh institution is, according to tho ' Majof, quite willing' to listen to any 1 reasonable- proposition iii connection 1 with an exchange of properties. This ■ vv»uld_ loavo tile way open to the acquisition of tho whole of the block be- ; tweea-fhfi Library flftd the Town Hall ! by'the City, for 'the gradual extension of tho former building over the area distending to the library. _ Tho idea - of having a <:6Mimanding uile tltat Woiild practically cover this "big Hook appears to be the line of natural tlovelopment in regard to municipal buildiag eonBtrviotiflii in Wellington. Stieha' bldek, I besicte providing for Wg eitonsioim to the office accommodation in tlie Toftji Hail, and for the future l expansion or the library jvoivkt, it is snjrgested! ho a t»ag_n.ific6ufc and central site .for the ■ NafcMMial Art Gallery (which has to Some. • one day), and for other mumcipii ash f jjiiiscts that will develop, as the City : > grows in..eiao and importance.' Pressure on the library. ; Bespesti'ng the. need for relief -it 1 the Central Library the Mayor stated ' yesterday that the "necessity of providj tng acec-mnvodaliosi catiie up • for eansktenitien at the'meeting of the Pniaiies Committee of the eoiincil on ■' Tuesday afternoon, as tliro result of n recommfincJation by .tlio Libraries Com* j nnttee. Plana .were submitted gk-hic; ' the nature of tlvo alterations proposed.. 1 This jtfOvidbd for the .estosioii of tho 5 southern side of tho library tfiit to the' > lino of Wnkofteld Streets iakmft m the 3 ornamental shrttbberj' ' that ..mnkes ■ sijdli 1 a. bravo showing tteire.' That idea., "Mr. ' Ltiko lnaintaiued, ii-b«ld perhaps gire relief for' the time bonia, but no goubt > the need for grantina hirther facilities • to the iliereasiiiß nuiiibor of ■ tlie. piilvs lie- that TO* afld frequent file Public - Lilirar.v would have to lift gfliic into,, Kb de'eisfen as to what is to fee done': 5 to relievo the was cope to. at; t- the rtieeii«g, favthei' cftnsifl.oi-atMji be-; 1 ing Mi ««* until the jiext meetrag of; ' tho committee ; 1 lit further reference to iihw a«ni"Si- • tioii of Ac whole block of land referi'ot] ■ ■ to above.-Mir. Luke sftid that-lw did » nttt ftinlc tliafc tho Central library E nmld ha moro conveniently ntocefl than it is It served -the needs M the whole -. of Weliiiifttoii City prOpM adccjtiaWv-, I and if any additions werfi mate he www i , like to see them made in harnwny with - the larger scheme of tne fntitH!.