CIVIC AND COMMUNITY CENTRES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 10, Issue 260, 16 June 1944, Page 8

CIVIC AND COMMUNITY CENTRES

Sir,-When I am to be away from Wellington for any length of time I take the precaution of having the back numbers of The Listener put on one side for me so that I can read them at my leisure on my return. This accounts for the six weeks’ lapse of time between your publication of April 21 and the date of this letter. Would you permit me to correct a somewhat unfortunate error in that issue-I refer to your: definition of a Civic Centre. Without wishing to be pedantic, I think I can claim to speak with some authority on this point. The location and design of Civic Centres is an important function of town-planning, and my book-shelves are full of books dealing with the historical, functional, and architectural aspects of the subject. What constitutes a Civic Centre is not a matter of opinion, but of fact. The terms "Civic Centre" arid "Community Centre" are comparatively modern names for something that is almost as old as civilisation itself, namely, a place to which people resort on ceremonial or other public occasions and for social, cultural and recreational purposes. The Greek Agora, the Roman Forumi, the medieval place, and the more modern market square and village green all served this purpose. It is easy to understand why municipal offices should have been associated with the Civic Centre. It was a matter of mutual convenience’ for the citizens and the authorities; nevertheless, municipal administration is a secondary function of a Civic Centre. Perhaps the best evidence I can produce in support of my case is the following quotation from an editorial which appeared in the January number of The American City, the foremost American journal dealing with civic affairs:"The civic centse has an ancient heritage. It reaches far back into the past and in all ages has been a leading factor in shaping the character of life in its time. On the acropolis of the Greek city men discussed and matured their civic and ethical ideals. The . Roman forum wes the centre of the Roman Republic and later of the Roman Empire. It both encompassed and nourished all its parts. During the troubled Middle Ages the castle was the focus of life on the feudal fief-for high and low alike. When trade again flourished in Europe, each town developed its great townSquare where the government and business of its people were transacted, and where every person in the town shared the pagean and neighbourliness of the age. The early Ameriean villages had their commons and greens where much of the life of the community was carried on. When pioneers pushed west and built towns, this form of town planning was often carried by them, and survives to-day in the many town-squares dominated by the central courthouse. But too many of these town centres. have lost their civic meaning, and stand rather like functionless ghosts of a more vital past. *"To-day, life is diffused. In the midst of abundance’ we lack unity and directions Our communities have lost, or never yr vecrgges A a dynamic communal spirit such as that which had its focus in the civic centres of the past. We need to make a place in our community plans for forging anew the community will, one which can give character and purpose to our towns and cities and shape the ideals of our citizens. Our people need to cultivate clarity and judgment by discussions; spontaneity and co-ordination by healthful play; imagination and new capacities by study and {continued on next page)

(continued from previous page) performance; and wider sympathies by sharing together the good things of the mind and spirit. Let us not lose our sense of proportion. There is, or should be, room for all forms of community activities and community services in a Civic Centre or Community Centre, whichever term you prefer, but if every building that houses a community activity or service is to be labelled "Community Centre" they will be dotted about the landscape like milk bars.-J. W. MAWSON (Department of Internal Affairs).