Campbell Kindy Gets Some Love

 

Now the Birdcage Rob Roy Tavern has been safely moved, it’s heart-warming to see its bordered up, rundown, graffiti-hit sister over the road get attention.
The historic Campbell Free Kindergarten in Victoria Park has been abandoned for more than 20 years.
Its future has been secured by an agreement in principle between its owner, the Auckland City Council, and NZTA.
Under the agreement, the NZTA will upgrade and protect the heritage building.
Part of the building will be used to house the electrical and communications equipment needed to operate the Victoria Park Tunnel now under construction through the park. The remainder of the building will be available for public use.
The Campbell Free Kindergarten was New Zealand’s first kindergarten.
It was built in 1910 and funded by the “father of Auckland” John Logan Campbell and his wife on the condition it would operate as a free kindergarten. The kindergarten continued to operate in Victoria Park until the 1950s when the service was moved elsewhere and the building was handed over to the Auckland City Council.
It served for a time as the clubrooms for the Grafton Cricket Club and as a practice room for a pipe band but has been unused for the past 20 years. Under the agreement, the NZTA will return the kindergarten to its pre-1950s appearance.
This will include seismic strengthening and extensive renovations inside and outside.
Mr Parker says the work would be finished in time for commissioning of the Victoria Park Tunnel in mid-2012.
Once the tunnel works are completed, the council will work through the options for future use of the public space in the building.
Thanks NZTA.

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1 Comments

 
  1. karl says:

    A wonder it didn’t fall prey to arson in those 20 years.

    Good on NZTA to restore it. Hope they will put some soundproofing in the windows - it will still be exposed to large amounts of vehicle noise.

 

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