Smashed windows on the Carnegie building in Allardice St was a problem raised at this week's Dannevirke Community Board meeting. Photo /Sue Emeny
Vandalism of the iconic Carnegie building on Allardice St was an issue raised at Monday's Dannevirke Community Board meeting.
Board member Terry Hynes said he was concerned at the number of windows that had been smashed.
"Some of the smashed windows have already been boarded up but now the windows above those are being broken."
He suggested Tararua District Council could become pro-active regarding the problem.
"This is not a good look for the town or the council."
Hynes said he guessed it was inevitable there would be vandalism as the building had been vacant for well over a year following the relocation of Tararua Community Youth Services.
"I'm really concerned about the damage that is being done. I think the rest of the windows need to be boarded up before there is further damage."
Board chairman Pat Walshe asked whether the Carnegie building was to be demolished after the efforts of a community group to take ownership and renovate the building failed because of the huge costs and the amount of work involved, all within a limited time frame.
Once that decision was made the fate of the building reverted to the decision made by the council in May 2019 which stated that if there was no proposal from the community to save the building it would be demolished but the facade would be preserved.
However, Tararua District Council governance manager Richard Taylor said the council couldn't just go ahead and demolish the building, it had to obtain consent from Heritage New Zealand as it was a listed building, one of only 12 Carnegie buildings left in New Zealand.
The matter is to be referred to the council.
Among other issues raised at the meeting was a major change to this year's Anzac Day civic service. The decision has been made to not have a street parade which has been a feature of the civic service for many years.
Instead marchers will assemble with the grounds of the domain and march around the band rotunda to the war memorial.
The decision to halt the street parade was made because of the skyrocketing costs involved in traffic management plans.
Board member Ross Macdonald reported that plans were well in hand for the Anzac Day concert and the programme had been organised.
Taylor reported that future of banking was an ongoing one with Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis collating information on the impact on the district's communities of bank closures, reduced trading hours and the phasing out of cheques.
This will enable concerned residents and businesses to share their banking challenges to help the council to advocate to keep banking services in the district's towns.
"People are invited to contact the mayor over any issues they have with banking."
After taking part in a tour of the district inspecting different council facilities in the four towns Walshe suggested board members take a similar tour around Wimbledon, Herbertville, Akitio and Pongaroa.
Council representative on the board, Erana Peeti-Webber, said it would be beneficial to meet up with members of these communities and to advise them on funding opportunities.
Correspondence to the board consisted of two letters of thanks, one from Salvation Army Major Afolau Toluono for a donation to the $230 donation to the food bank that was raised through the board's Christmas tree extravaganza and the other from Brian Hales of Wimbledon for a donation to the district's war memorial.
The board donated $1000 to go toward a new plaque to be placed on the memorial. The new plaque acknowledges the men who served and, following the end of the war, returned to the Wimbledon District and made their homes there.
The two bronze plaques already on the memorial honour those from the district who lost their lives in the war and the second one is a tribute to those who served their country.
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