Bay Harbour: November 16, 2022

Wednesday <strong>November</strong> <strong>16</strong> <strong>2022</strong> <strong>Bay</strong> <strong>Harbour</strong> News<br />

Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />

NEWS 5<br />

‘The trust can save this building’<br />

• From to page 1<br />

“I fear much of it will be lost if<br />

the building and site is developed<br />

as proposed,” Brown said.<br />

He said there are 10<br />

households within 200 metres of<br />

the school, all concerned about<br />

the proposal.<br />

Stapels said: “I want to make<br />

it clear that this is not an attack<br />

on PWT or the Tickells as they<br />

do amazing, vital work in the<br />

Christchurch community. It<br />

just bewilders me that they<br />

don’t seem to have the same<br />

thoughtfulness and care around<br />

engaging with the community<br />

they intend live in.”<br />

The city council is yet to make<br />

a decision about the terms of any<br />

lease, and Tickell said final costs<br />

will be key to determining what<br />

the trust can contribute.<br />

“I would personally like to see<br />

it turned into a place like some of<br />

those I remember visiting<br />

as a young boy, like YMCA<br />

facilities or Outward Bound,” he<br />

said.<br />

PWT will also make sure the<br />

wider community can use the<br />

centre, which would be a lot of<br />

the time, he said.<br />

“There will be a charge to hire<br />

the facility because it needs to be<br />

viable, but it will be minimal to<br />

cover the costs.<br />

“Our plan is a way to save the<br />

building. Christchurch City<br />

Council conservation experts<br />

will be in total control of all work<br />

done to the building.<br />

Without us, or another<br />

commercial solution, the<br />

building will continue to<br />

deteriorate,” he said.<br />

Resident Sarah Smith<br />

told the community<br />

board she would rather<br />

see the building sold.<br />

“Better that than<br />

turning it into a busy<br />

residential centre with hordes of<br />

people coming through.”<br />

Smith also objects to the<br />

Karaitiana<br />

Tickell<br />

commercial upgrade when she<br />

said there are other outdoor<br />

centres on Banks Peninsula,<br />

including at Orton Bradley<br />

Park, which PWT already<br />

uses.<br />

Tickell said the Kukupa<br />

centre would be different.<br />

“We use Orton Bradley<br />

for outdoor adventure-type<br />

activities,” he said.<br />

“Kukupa will be a place<br />

for a different cohort who<br />

will benefit from quiet time.”<br />

Brown said locals have tried<br />

to talk to PWT, but were simply<br />

USE: Debate over Purupuru Whetu Trust’s plans to use the<br />

Kukupa School site as a retreat centre have intensified.<br />

told not to worry.<br />

Tickell agreed the trust has<br />

been quiet “because we understood<br />

council was going to do<br />

the consultation”.<br />

He said: “We were simply<br />

following a council process.<br />

“Subsequently the council<br />

made it clear to us it wants<br />

us to consult before it<br />

makes any decision, so we<br />

will.”<br />

PWT has since hired a<br />

consultant to help with that<br />

process, he said.<br />

Kukupa School was built in<br />

1878, is Category 2 heritage listed<br />

and, according to city council<br />

files, is a rare example of an early<br />

Canterbury school built at a time<br />

when Pigeon <strong>Bay</strong>’s population<br />

was steadily increasing. It was<br />

extended in 1885. The school roll<br />

peaked in 1889 with 55 students,<br />

then declined until it finally<br />

closed in 1949. After that it was<br />

used, for many years, as a youth<br />

hostel.<br />

“The trust can save this<br />

building,” Tickell said.<br />

“Otherwise, it is simply going<br />

to fall over.”<br />

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