The idea of the Howick Returned and Services Association (RSA) using space and offices in the Howick War Memorial Building is still a possibility.

Howick RSA president Barry Dreyer has made a presentation to the Howick Local Board about the potential for its staff to do RSA work at the War Memorial and says he was well received.

The Howick RSA’s vision includes utilising the hall as a welfare centre to be used by it and other community service organisations.

“Our focus is to improve welfare availability in Howick,” Dreyer said.

“We have been at the welfare business in Howick for 92 years.”

The building, constructed in the 1950s in the Picton Street town square and known formerly as the Howick Information Centre, is owned and managed by the Auckland Council.

At the Howick Local Board meeting on March 20, Dreyer showed the elected members details regarding bookings and the usage of the Howick War Memorial Hall, obtained from the council by Official Information Request (OIA).

The information Dreyer presented for a seven-week period to February 21, for 40-hour weeks Mondays to Fridays, there were 296 hours available, of which 219.5 hours were booked, but the hall was only used for 51 hours, equating to 17 per cent use.

“The hall was well overbooked and seriously underutilised,” Dreyer told the board members.

“The usage is less than one day per week.”

The other information Dreyer tabled for the board to consider was for bookings and usage during weekends, for the same seven weeks.

It showed for Saturdays and Sundays, there were 112 available hours, of which 63.5 were booked and used 58.5, some 52 per cent.

“The hall was used 81 per cent of the time on Saturdays, and 23 per cent on Sundays,” Dreyer said.

The Times reported last October of the Howick RSA’s then new executive committee, led by Dreyer, vision for it to have a base at the Howick War Memorial Building.

“The hall is the most suitable Howick location for Howick RSA welfare activities,” Dreyer said.

“It’s after all a war memorial hall and it’s in the centre of Howick.

“Our generation can recreate a highly respected HRSA operation, providing an accessible, combined welfare and support shop front window to the people of Howick, and particularly to those in need.”

At the March 20 local board meeting, the elected members decided ‘the board adds to its workshop programme consideration of the evidence on the recent OIA of the Howick War Memorial Hall usage, in order to consider best usage of the War Memorial Hall moving forward’.

Dreyer is “very pleased” with the outcome, he’s told the Times this week, and adds the Howick RSA is “ready to move” as soon as it gets permission from the council to work at the War Memorial Building.

He says RSA welfare and administrative work is being done in one of its Sale Street Trust accommodation flats, and that space could be freed up for a new tenant if they moved into the War Memorial, because “there are a couple of other people” on its waiting list for welfare housing.

In his presentation to the local board, Dreyer said: “We see the hall as a general welfare facility for the people of our region.

“Used by other welfare-related organisations as well – including Howick Residents and Ratepayers Association, Grey Power, Rotary, Community Hub, Ranfurly Trust, Veterans Affairs, all of whom support our initiative.

“We would initially staff the hall, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. It would be available for other non-welfare related use Wednesdays and weekends.”

Dreyer also pointed out to the local board members the “downsides”.

“If we’re unable to utilise the hall, our welfare assets will need to be spent in buying a property in the Howick Village precinct.

“This will significantly reduce the welfare support available to the community, by as much as half.

“This is not in the public interest,” Dreyer said.

“We look forward to concluding this important civic welfare step as soon as we can.”

• For the earlier story about the Howick RSA’s vision to use spaces in the Howick War Memorial, read: https://www.times.co.nz/news/rsa-parades-plans-to-go-shop-front/