Greytown hall row flares again at council meeting | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

THE debate over whether Greytown's public library should be shifted into a remodelled Town Hall continues to rage with both sides claiming they have a mandate to support their case.

Organisers of a petition opposing the shift, and those pushing it, both fronted up at a South Wairarapa District Council this yesterday.

Petition organiser and former mayor of Greytown Richard Harding tabled the document signed by 674 Greytown people and a further 114 from other towns and districts.

Mr Harding said at no time has those opposing the library shift been against a town hall refurbishment, only with plans to shift the library into it.

He said refurbishment of the hall was " a good idea".

"It was done 25 years ago to a reasonable standard.

"The hall has always been difficult to heat, as it is an old wooden building, but it has no future as a library."

Mr Harding, who was supported at the meeting by Peter Norman and Richard L'Estrange, said they were concerned about the on-going maintenance costs of a remodelled hall.

"Pensioners are especially fearful of the rate increases that will come out of this," he said.

Mr Harding claimed that revised plans showed that the library planned for the hall was smaller than the existing one.

He said the new library would not be " people friendly" or " access friendly" and especially should not be proceeded with until the entire $1.5 million has been raised.

"If the hall is refurbished without al the money being available you will have the people of Greytown back here for either a hand-out or a bail-out," Mr Harding said.

As mayor of Greytown Mr Harding had a hand in moving the old Masonic Hall from West Street to its new site as a library in Main Street.

"I would hate to see it now become just another restaurant or gift shop," he said.

Greytown Heritage Trust member and Town Hall Refurbishment Committee secretary Peter Franks spoke in support of the refurbishment and library shift.

He was supported by Mike Gray, a former deputy mayor of South Wairarapa, who presented revised plans to the council.

Mr Franks said petitions were "notoriously difficult to interpret" and that the organisers had little idea how to set one up and obviously had not sought advice.

He said some people still wrongly believed the existing library building was to be "physically uplifted and moved."

Others thought it was to be sold but that was not the case.

Mr Franks said some people who had signed the petition had since wanted their names removed.

He said the old Masonic Lodge building, as a functional library, was just a hall and had many shortcomings including having not enough space for a proper children's section.

Despite earlier claims, he said the librarians were in favour of the shift into the old town hall.

Mr Franks said the revised town hall plans provided for a library " one and a half to two times bigger" than the existing one.

Money needed for the refurbishment would be raised before.

Mr Franks said the project had overwhelming public support and could do without mischievous actions designed to upset it.

On presenting the plans to council Mr Gray said he was " not at all fazed" at the prospect of having to raise up to $1.5 million for the re-modelling.