Lawrence Heritage Trust chairman Roger Cotton spoke about the project at the board meeting in Lawrence on Wednesday. The Arches project will use the old swimming pool building at the entrance to Lawrence. The external panelling will be stripped and the remaining structure will feature as part of
a public garden.
Mr Cotton said the target for the project was $32,000 and all apart from $1100 had been donated or promised as grants from various trusts.
"It is critical to get the project going," he said.
"There has been vandalism and tagging, although they haven’t touched the beams."
A contractor was waiting for final confirmation before he could make a start on the demolition and it was hoped this could happen this month.
Mr Cotton said the project, which had been planned for two years, had a lot of community support.
Ross Pl public toilets
The board agreed to take urgent action on the state of the public toilets on Ross Pl in Lawrence.
They were in a poor state, with the men’s urinal requiring repair or replacement and a women’s toilet seat had come adrift.
It had been about 10 years since they were last refurbished.
The Community Company had offered to repaint the inside of the toilets "as an interim measure to spruce up the inside".
Board member Paul Tansley said the toilets needed urgent action. Cr Geoff Blackmore said it should not be up to volunteers to do a maintenance job.Board member Mel Foster said the state of the toilets was poor.
"People can drive to Roxburgh and get some pretty fantastic toilets by comparison," she said.
Tree shading
The Tuapeka Lawrence Community Company wrote to the board expressing its concern at the height of trees on the hill behind Lawrence, which was causing shading issues on Ross Pl and Irvine St.
There was some discussion about what should be done and it was suggested a tree expert be asked to look at the problem.
Before that, the board wanted to determine whether the area concerned belonged to the council or Doc.Board member Quentin Currall said there were about 40 trees in the area in question and they were going to be a big problem later on.
Representation review
The board is calling for input from the community as part of the preliminary consultation on the representation review.
The Clutha District Council is required to review representation every six years, looking at the number of councillors elected, how they should be elected, the future of community boards and whether a Maori ward should be established.
Board member John Scott said the board was in the preliminary feedback part of the process at the moment, which would continue to January 17. Once feedback had been received, the council would adopt a proposal which would go out for formal public consultation.
Mr Scott said the board had consulted local iwi and the council had decided not to opt for a separate Maori ward.
