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The Nelson Photo News

 

24

Too many halls?

The Nelson City Council is to implement the recommendation of a fund-raising consultant to start as soon as possible on a civic hall project, and to that end it is to seek a loan of $150,000 towards the estimated maximum cost of $300,000. This was decided at a special meeting of the council at the end of last month.

For many years Nelson has suffered for want of a big stadium or conference hall. Now, it appears, we are to have not only one such building, but several, for the decision to proceed with the "Trafalgar Centre" came at the time when the Y. M. C. A. was launching its appeal for new Y. M. premises in Nelson, Stoke and Richmond. As well, the Nelson Indoor Basketball Association is expected to start work in August on its own stadium to be erected on land at Neale Street south, Stoke. What has been a famine is shortly to become a feast.

Nelson has been a city of small halls, and because of this, the conference-world and the major indoor sporting fixtures have passed us by. Now, one of the small halls is to go - the old Sports Hall in Trafalgar Road is to be pulled down in favour of a two-storey motel complex (left).

The type of hall proposed for by the council for Nelson is shown above. It is similar to the sportsdrome at Rotorua. An interior view of such a hall is at left. Both drawings are by Nelson architect, Mr Alex Bowman.

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The Y. M. C. A. is also in the fundraising field at the moment, seeking a total of $75,000 to build new Y. M, S in Nelson, Stoke and Richmond. The association has an option on the old Marsden Hall property in Nile Street and if it proceeds with the project will modernise the hall and utilise more effectively the tremendous floor space it carries. Its old premises in Bridge Street (below) are for sale. The pic above is a view of the projected Nelson building; that at right is the old Marsden Hall, and at bottom right, the buildings for Stoke and Richmond.