Newspaper Article 2009 – New tenants enliven Stoneycroft

New tenants enliven historic Stoneycroft

Andrew Neal

TWO NEW residents will be moving in to the historic Stoneycroft property in coming months and those involved are very excited about it. The Hawke’s Bay Woodturners’ Guild and a digital archive group were selected by Hastings District Council’s works committee at a vote last week.

Stoneycroft was purchased by council five years ago and has not had a permanent tennant [tenant] while the building was being restored.

Woodturners’ president Roger Mabey says the group is rapt with the new premises and can’t wait to get the sheds where they will be housed fixed up.

“We’ll be moving in some time next year but once we’re up and running, it will be brilliant,” he says.

“At the moment we’re thinking ‘where do we start?’ because the sheds need restoring so we’re at the stage where we’re fundraising because it will take a lot of money and a lot of work.”

The digital archive (which is being set up by charitable trust, The Community Foundation) and the woodturners both have an 18-year agreement to stay at Stoneycroft.

Community Foundation board member and archive mentor James Morgan says applying for residence in the historic building was “a great move”.

“There’s been a huge response, we’ve had plenty of phone calls. I think it’s been greeted warmly,” he  says.

A committee is being formed to run the archive and the foundation takes possession of the house at the beginning of Feburary.

Plans are for the digital library to have state-of-the art studios upstairs which will scan documents, photographs, pictures and slides for proserity.

“It’s to look after all those interesting photographs living under your bed,” James says.

“We want to keep people’s family treasures which will be available for research and a back up for people as well.”

Other equpment will salvage 8mm and 16mm film, while alongside will be a fully-equipped soundproof story booth for recording oral history and downstairs there will be public access viewing galleries.

Photo caption – FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Hawke’s Bay Woodturners’ Guild president Roger Mabey inspects one of the sheds at Stoneycroft House on Omahu Rd, which will become the group’s new home base.