Boost For Hall Fund

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 66, 24 August 1965, Page 1

Boost For Hall Fund

COUNCIL ARRANGES A SPECIAL £6000 GRANT

TaupoV youth hall fund got a shot in the arm yesterday when Taupo Borough Council announced a grant of

£6000 from a council reserves fund. Announcing this, the Mayor, Mr J. E. Story, said the money would be held in a special trust fund until required for the building. In making the grant, the council considered the urgent need for a multi-purpose hall in the • town and felt that the hard work of the youth centre committees should be given some form of impetus.

Mr Story stressed the value of the hall, not only for youth activities, but also for conferences, balls and other activities. It was apparent to the council that the need for such an amenity was now urgent. The formal approval of the Minister of Eands, Mr Gerard, to the grant was received in a telegram yesterday. The payment of the grant is conditional on the building being vested in the council which will be responsible for its upkeep. In cases of this sort, a local body may hand over the running of the hall to a local committee. The appeal for the youth centre began about eight years ago when it first became apparent that the old courthouse then being used as a judo and recreational centre for young people, would not stand up to the wear and tear.

Mr E. T. Smith and Sergeant N. Waters, then in charge of the Taupo Police Station, wrere taking an interest in the welfare of young people in the town and the idea of a youth hall came into being. Local sports groups, particularly the Indoor Basketball Associat i o n , showed an interest in the project and later plans were for a much bigger structure than was originally proposed.

Over the past three or four years, the centre committee has made strenuous efforts to raise the £30,000 estimated to be required for the hall, which has grown bigger and more versatile as the years have gone by. "The youth centre committee has £4000 in hand, the council will hold the £6000, leaving £10,000 to raise before a Golden Kiwi grant can be obtained to bring the total to the amount required," Mr Story said. "I would say the youth hall was well within sight," he concluded. The president of the Taupo Youth Centre Committee, Mr A. Armstrong, said yesterday he was very pleased with the grant. He expressed his thanks to the council for the interest it had shown.