Recreation hall to stay as assets consolidated

The former Tomahawk School is set to be demolished as the Dunedin City Council plans to consolidate its three community assets in the seaside suburb into one.

The council also wants to end its involvement with the Ocean Grove Domain Hall.

A report says is in poor condition and subject to flooding.

But property services group manager David Bainbridge said the council was not pulling funding from the community, rather consolidating it in one facility.

The council held two public drop-in meetings this week at the Ocean Grove Recreation Hall, by the suburb's sports ground, to get feedback and establish a community group to help develop ideas for the building.

Mr Bainbridge said the council's proposal was to use the recreation hall, which was used by the Grants Braes Football Club and 14 community groups, as "a sustainable multi-use community facility".

He said the former Tomahawk School buildings were "not in a great condition".

The Andersons Bay Community Kindergarten had planned to move to the site and was given a 20-year lease, but pulled out last year because of the condition of the buildings and moved its operations to Jeffery St.

"Unfortunately, it had a roof leak which was unnoticed for three years and had done significant damage to the whole structure."

The council wanted half the site planted for dune protection, and it would ask the community what it wanted to do with the other half.

A report said the Ocean Grove Domain Hall was in poor condition with issues in the roof, walls and windows that required immediate attention, and had flooded in the past.

The council wanted to concentrate on the recreation hall rather than have two buildings "we can't really commit to".

"What happens to that site, again, is up to the community."

The building could be demolished and the land kept for lagoon access, or it could be used for residential development.

"They might want to keep the hall and look after it, but the council can't financially commit to keeping that going."

He said the school would be demolished within the next six months, and over the next year he hoped a community committee would gather ideas and a wish list for the recreation hall.

Funding would be an issue, though the football club had said it would help raise funds, and as a community facility it would be eligible for grants and lottery funding.

He said the council was not pulling funding out of the community.

It provided an annual grant for the domain hall but if that hall was not kept that money could be transferred to the recreation hall.

The council would still be responsible for the recreation hall but if the community wanted improvements, it would be encouraged to raise funds.

"It may be that the council would match those funds."