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The Queen Mary Reserve Trust |
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Links & Articles |
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Below are several websites giving general information about the Hanmer Springs plus surrounding area and the Hurunui District. |
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Our contact details: |
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Queen Mary Reserve Trust
Jan & Robert Crawford 107 Argelins Road Hanmer Springs 7334
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The QUEEN MARY RESERVE TRUST INC
MEDIA RELEASE THE QUEEN MARY RESERVE TRUST – AIMS AT LEAST PARTLY ACHIEVED, WHERE TO NOW?
The Queen Mary Reserve Trust are very happy with the Prime Minister’s announcement that the northern 6 hectares of the Queen Mary Hospital land will remain in public hands. During the last five years of uncertainty the Trust has sought legal opinions on reserve status, written numerous letters to politicians, the Health Board, the Press, organised a petition, involved the Historic Places Trust and the Ombudsmen’s Office, pleading in all areas that these wonderful gardens and Historic Buildings should be left for the Public to enjoy. All through this time the Hurunui District Council have responded magnificently by ordering landscape and other reports on the site and entering into discussions with Ngai Tahu and the DHB in order to try and buy the most historically important part of the site.
Although initially the Trust wished to preserve the whole site in public hands it became apparent as time went on that this would be impractical, and the last couple of years have been spent ‘playing the waiting game’ as the logistics of preserving the top six hectares – which include Chisholm, The Soldiers’ Block and the Nurses’ Home have been debated between Ngai Tahu, CDHB, Hurunui district council and government. It wasn’t easy to wait and do nothing, so Barbara Vague organised a personal interview with the PM (she lives in her electorate when not in Hanmer Springs) last winter to try and hurry things along. We like to think it worked!
The Trust wishes to wholeheartedly thank Mayor Garry Jackson and the Hurunui District council for their vision and support throughout the 5 year process. In his speech at the recent opening of the Hanmer Springs Medical Centre Mayor Jackson also drew attention to the support he received from the Ngai Tahu Property company for vestment of the site in the Council as an Historic Reserve instead of making the Council buy it outright. This is a generous act of Ngai Tahu and allows money that was put aside for purchase of the site to now be spent on restoration and conversion to suit whatever new uses the buildings may inspire.
The process will still take time and handover will not be achieved for at least six months we are told. Meanwhile it is time to take stock and reconsider our aims and objectives as a trust. Community involvement will be important in determining the future use of the historic buildings and garden, and the Trust would like to be a major representative of the community in this respect. It is time for those who are interested in the potential development of the area to come forward and have their say. Our AGM will be held in April 2009 but we can co-opt committee members before then – we welcome fresh faces and new ideas. It is great to think that we can now move positively forward instead of banging our heads against what at times seemed to be a very solid brick wall.
The Trust’s next task will be to prepare a business plan for activities within the Soldiers’ Ward (suggestion so far are a museum, a cinema, an arts centre, an indoor children’s playground, a café) and have an input into suggestions for Chisholm (spa and health care related activities perhaps). Later, the Nurses’ Home will need some vision – suggestions so far have been a boutique hotel or a backpackers or apartments for tourism industry workers. We welcome your input.
The Trust has been conducting free guided walks around the grounds at 12 noon each Sunday over the last five years, and these walks will continue – they could be a good forum for community discussion and creative ideas.
In all the excitement let us not forget the Spiritual Garden, which is to be in Ngai Tahu hands. Although it is neglected, its foundation is still very much there and it is protected under the District Plan. It would make a superb ‘Rest and Reflection Park’ adjoining the Crawford walkway. We must make sure the protection is maintained.
The Trust would also like to thank those people in the community who have supported us over the years. People have signed petitions, attended meetings, given advice and encouragement, donated money, lobbied MPs, cleared weeds in the Spiritual Garden, lain on Rutherford front lawn for the aerial photo … well done Hanmer Springs, you helped get us there! Very many thanks!
ENDS
Further Info: Robert or Jan Crawford 03 3157201 |