Newspaper Article 1976 – Waikoko House – Society may opt for new building

WAIKOKO HOUSE:

Society may opt for new building

Waikoko House on the Tomoana Showgrounds might be rebuilt. The general committee of the Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society, at their meeting yesterday threw out an earlier decision not to go ahead with the project.

It was decided to set up a committee to consider the rebuilding of Waikoko House as well as proposed development of the grandstand. This committee will be made up of four members each from the building, finance, and grandstand committees, as well as the president, vice-president and treasurer of the society. Their findings will be reported back to the society in February.

Waikoko House was destroyed by fire in August, and almost immediately plans were made for rebuilding. Plans were drawn up by an architect and more than $36,000 was given by the public for the project.

But late in November the rebuilding project was scrapped. Most members of the general committee felt the building would be uneconomic as many of its proposed facilities could be duplicated in the grandstand.

NOT NEEDED

Waikoko was not needed for the running of the show which the society felt was its real duty to the community.

Mr Eric Nelson, the grandson of the most famous owner of Waikoko, Mr William Nelson, wrote to the society protesting the decision.

Mr Nelson said he was “amazed as well as very disappointed” with the decision. He rejected the argument that the building would be uneconomic, as the society had not had to make a great effort to collect the $36,000 it already had.

“I am sure if a more direct approach was made to members of the society and the public at large we would be amply rewarded,” he said

The dominant feeling at yesterday’s meeting was that Waikoko should be rebuilt. But members of the general committee discussed for more than two hours what type of building it should be, its cost and how it should fit in with other showground development.

Most of those present agreed that if Waikoko House was not rebuilt immediately it would not be rebuilt at all. But it was also generally agreed that the plans which were made for the rebuilding were too lavish and costly.

A SPLIT

A number of committee members felt it was wrong to consider the rebuilding plans in isolation from the other concerns of the society.

Mr J. Russell said there seemed to be a split in the society at the moment between those who wanted Waikoko to be rebuilt and those who wanted improvements to be made to the grandstand.

The secretary, Mr K. E. Moody, said since Waikoko had been burnt down, the grandstand had proved to be adequate for the society’s needs.

A number of members were concerned about what would be done with the money already given by the public for the rebuilding of Waikoko. A motion was passed at the November meeting of the society’s general committee that donation be refunded or held in a special trust account by the society.

This motion was rescinded at yesterday’s meeting. Many members felt that it would be unfair to ask the public for donations for Waikoko and for grandstand improvements within a few months.

The question of the $36,000 already received will be looked at after the special committee reports back to the general committee in February.