NEW LOOK FOR COSSY CLUB

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 59, 25 July 1974, Page 3

NEW LOOK FOR COSSY CLUB

The Taupo Cosmopolitan Club has been given permission to reestablish its offices and erect premises fronting on to Taniwha and Titiraupenga Streets. There were three objections to the club's specified departure application. Twelve conditions were set by the borough council. They are mainly concerned with parking for cars and ensuring as little disturbance as possible to members of the public. The club is at present situated upstairs in a building on the corner of Ruapehu and Paorahape Streets. The floor space of 3000 square feet caters only for 350 members and the club has had a long waiting list since it first opened. The new building, on a half-acre block of

land, is designed to cater comfortably for 800 members. It will have two storeys, each of 5000 square feet. Objections were mainly on the grounds that the new club would be in a residential area. During the hearing before the town planning committee, Mr D. W. Stephens, acting for the club, said the present premises of the club had been found to be somewhat inadequate in size and facilities offcred. In planning the new premises careful attention had been paid to noise retention within the building. "Tremendous provision has also been made for parking, although the town planning officer feels that there should be further provision," said Mr Stephens. "Virtually one quarter acre section has been set aside for this — definite-

ly an advantage over the present situation." The club secretary, Mr E. H. Marfurt, said the top floor of the new building would contain the lounge area and would be completely carpeted. It would also contain a bar. The ground floor would have a bar, billiards and eight-ball tables, plus space for indoor bowls and darts. Provision had also been made for a dance floor. Two of the objectors, Messrs A. D. Lennox and P. A. Gillespie — whose respective properties are adjacent to the new site — sought concrete wall fences on their boundaries. They said the walls must be at least 10 feet high, have an eight-hour fire rating and piers at approved centres. The architect, Mr A.

D. Dow, told the committee he had never yet seen design criteria requiring an eight-hour fire rating concrete block wall. "The provision of the wall as requested by these objectors must be totally unreasonable," he said. "In the most extreme of fire risk cases the maximum provision I have encountered is a four-hour rating." Mr Gillespie told the committee he appreciated the change of zoning that could possibly take place in the area. Nevertheless, he was still living there as a residential person and the noise factor was a problem. "If one wants to get a shoe fixed he goes to the bootmaker; if he wants some plumbing fixed he goes to a plumber; if

you want to know something about noise you live in lower Tamamutu Street," said Mr Gillespie. "We have got the existing Cossy club which, although it is 300 yards from where I am, we can sometimes sing along. "We have got the picture theatre — believe it or not, you can clearly hear the speech on the screen from our sections. "The RSA — we can sing along with them on evenings. "We have got the school and we have the gentlemen's club. "And now, of course, we have got the Cossy club, of which, incidentally, I hope to become a member. "If you cannot beat them you may as well join them." - '