CONTACT:
Ella Kiliuyi, Ray White, ph 021 950 557, Philip Hall, 0274 725 038.
Ella Kiliuyi says that the Mt Eden church that has been a second home all her life is so full of memories that its dedicated Cook Islands congregation could spend days recounting all of them.
Ella's father Tei Kiliuyi was the session clerk for St James Church for almost 40 years and now Ella has the sad task of selling the two properties on behalf of the Presbyterian Property Trust.
The 114-year-old grey concrete church and its neighbouring hall, built 25 years earlier, command a striking presence on the corner of View and Esplanade roads near the foot of Mt Eden.
Both buildings, which are listed as Category B by the Auckland Council, were originally built for the Congregational Church. They have predominantly served the Cook Islands community as a Presbyterian Church since the 1970s.
During the last 40 years Ella says the church has been used for countless weddings, funerals, baptisms and youth services as well as various community activities. "The hall was used for Christmas and New Year celebrations where every Eve the congregation would sing and dance until midnight then have a feast together," says Ella.
"On youth night, every Friday, all of the young members would get together there and play sport."
That was, until two-and-half-years ago, when the Council issued a dangerous building notice for the 127-year-old hall when an inspection found a roof truss showing signs of movement and rotting timbers around its unreinforced walls.
The hall has been closed and fenced off since April 2012, but the church, which has suffered some damage to internal wooden panels and original artwork from water seeping through its corrugated iron roof, is still used most days of the week.
"There is not a day that this place is empty," says Veinga Kaue, the church's current assistant session clerk, who says she has faith the church could stand another 100 years. She says the parish has done its best to maintain both buildings but is unable to pay for major repairs, including earthquake strengthening, despite fundraising efforts.
"We would love to stay here. Our congregation comes from all over Auckland but we have built our community around Mt Eden. The reality is the cost of repairs and strengthening are way beyond what we can do," says Veinga.
The Edwardian neo-Classical church and Gothic style hall are both considered good examples of early roughcast church buildings.
They were designed by noted architects Robert Watt and John Mitchell.
Image 1 of 6: This Category B-listed church needs work but comes with a legacy of tender loving care
Watt was president of the Auckland branch of the Institute of Architects in 1906 and architect to the Auckland Education Board. He designed notable Auckland buildings including St Stephen's Presbyterian Church on Jervois Rd.
St James Church, which includes the main building, foyer, vestry and a workroom, is virtually unchanged since it was built in 1900.
It still has its original wooden pulpit, pews, large organ, stained glass windows and sloped wooden floor and its category B listing means these original features must be preserved.
