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News
Hope Star will shine following cash boost
Monday, 21 May 2007
By NIC DALEY
• Howick and Pakuranga Times
STAR of the Sea will stay in council hands.
At a community development committee meeting last week, the Manukau City Council approved $180,000 to complete the building’s refurbishment.
There have been calls to both keep and sell the contentious Howick building, the most recent outcry coming after the Polish Heritage Trust backed out of its lease agreement (
Times
, April 12).
The cash will fund the final stages of the project including floors, walls and light fittings.
Once work is completed, the council will call for expressions of interest for use of the site.
Concepts under consideration include arts, cultural and community space, including a mix of commercial (café) and non-commercial use.
Howick’s city councillors, Sharon Stewart and Jami-Lee Ross, agree it’s time to move and give the building a proper use.
Mr Ross acknowledges the project “hasn’t been the cheapest”, but backs the move to complete refurbishment and find a community tenant.
He says all other options have been investigated and it would be a shame to sell the building or leave it empty in its present state.
Mrs Stewart says it’s good the Howick Community Board will be part of the decision making process about any future tenants.
“We have to move on and hope that we get the right people in there.”
Stage one of the project — completed earlier this year — involved major structural work to ensure the building met current earthquake regulations.
The refurbishment cash will be met from existing council budgets and once complete, the council will work with the Howick Community Board to select a suitable tenant.
