Wanaka trio (from left) Stan (94) and Elsie Kane (96) and
Noeline Dickey (77) share fond memories of their long
association with St David's Church at Luggate, which will
hold its final service this weekend after being sold by the
Upper Clutha Presbyterian Parish. Photo by Lucy Ibbotson.
The new owners of Luggate's Presbyterian church hope to
fulfil a long-held dream of turning the 84-year-old property
into their home when they take possession at the end of this
month.
St David's Church was put on the market this month by the
Upper Clutha Presbyterian Church parish, along with the
Presbyterian church hall in Tenby St, Wanaka.
The property sales were to raise funds for a $1 million
extension of St Andrew's church, also on Tenby St, which was
approved by the Queenstown Lakes District Council in April.
Church expansion team chairman Phil Smith said the church at
Luggate and its 0.2ha site had sold for "slightly" more than
its asking price of $250,000.
The new owners, Anthony and Liz Marino, of Albert Town, have
had their eye on the tiny church for some time and have no
intention of removing it from the site.
"We wouldn't dream of it," Mrs Marino said.
"For the 10 years that we've lived in Wanaka we've driven
past it so many times and we've always said, 'One day we want
to own you'.
"It's such a neat position and it's something different. I
just love it."
She said because the property was zoned residential the
couple would "love to live there".
It was also possible they would transform the church into a
gallery.
The church was originally built in Hindon in 1927 and was
moved to Luggate in 1931.
Wanaka man Stan Kane recalled attending church managers'
meetings at St David's, which was the "centre of the
district" for the parish; and the efficient potbelly fire,
still in the church today, which was known as the "best
heater in the district".
He will share his many memories of St David's at its
decommissioning service at 12.30pm on Sunday.
Noeline Dickey, of Wanaka, said she had to walk 8km from her
home at Glenfoyle run, on the Tarras road, to St David's,
which she began attending at the age of 7, until she was
married there in 1954.
"It was our social outing for the week," she said.
Mr Smith said the parish would be "very happy" to see the
church stay at its existing site.
Several parties have expressed interest in buying the church
hall, which has an asking price of $625,000.
lucy.ibbotson@odt.co.nz
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