Waikato Times article
Hallelujah – college can stay
The white concrete block buildings on the old Church College campus in Temple View have been saved from the wrecking ball.
The college campus, west of Hamilton, is one of the best examples of American post-war campus design in the world.
It had been tagged for demolition by its owners, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which closed the school at the end of last year.
The demolition plans sparked a massive reaction from former students and other community members upset that the campus, built in the 1950s, would go.
The campus includes three significant structures: the David O McKay building (housing an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium and large auditorium), the Wendel B Mendenhall library, and the Matthew Cowley administration building. It is those buildings the Temple View Heritage Society had been striving to save.
However, after a long campaign to save the buildings from being flattened – led by the Temple View Heritage Society – church officials this week confirmed they had withdrawn their application to Hamilton City Council to demolish the campus.
The church’s decision to withdraw the demolition application is the final step in a major turn-around from the church hierarchy. For months it had maintained the buildings would be removed despite concerns from the city’s Mormon community, city councillors and the New Zealand Institute of Architects.
The church remains in discussions with the council over district plan variations which apply to the Temple View suburb and the old campus, but Utah-based church property administrator Kent Money said the church was now exploring other possible uses for the buildings.
The church was working with an “envisioning committee”, comprising members of the Temple View Heritage Society, Labour Missionaries Association, Church College Alumni Association and members of the Temple View community, to decide the future use of the campus.
Mr Money, who is also chairman of the envisioning committee, said the decision to leave the largest and most significant buildings standing came about after discussions with city representatives and the community.
“There are six buildings we will not demolish, and a good possibility there’ll be many more,” he said.
Mr Money said there were several “very good ideas” touted for future use of the campus, but he was not able to elaborate on what they were.
“We’re looking at several options, and they’re probably more broad than most people would suspect.”
The church would not sell the property, which it was continuing to maintain.
Bob Hamon, chair of the Temple View Heritage Society, said there was both relief and celebration at the decision to shelve demolition plans.
“It’s a very positive signal that the church is actively looking at other options for the school,” Mr Hamon said.
He said the society accepted some of the smaller structures could still be removed, but the main aim had essentially been achieved.
Andrew Bydder, chair of the Waikato Bay of Plenty branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, said the architectural community shared the sense of relief the buildings would be saved.
“The point I have always stressed is that the school is an integral part of that suburb – it’s not just saving the school, it’s saving the suburb.
“It’s good for the whole of New Zealand to recognise we’ve got something special in our midst. Now we’ve just got to find a good use for the buildings.”
What wonderful news to learn that CCNZ will not be destroyed. I just couldn’t believe it when I heard the buildings were to be demolished. I was there serving a mission for the Church when it was constructed and actually worked with the David O. McKay Building crew during the Christmas breaks in 1955, 56, 57. I witnessed the dedication of those labour missionaries who gave their all to bring to fruition the fulfillment of the dream to have another college to replace the old Maori Agricultural College that was destroyed in the Napier earthquake. I remember well the words of David O. McKay, former president of the Church, when he toured the area and someone commented that it would be wonderful when it was finished and school was in session. His answer was, “school is already in session,” referring to the young labour missionaries who were learning to be builders from those men who had accepted a call to bring their construction skills and supervise the project. I returned to New Zealand in 1963 as a CCNZ faculty member for 7 years. As a guidance counselor for the school, I worked with employers throughout New Zealand to place our graduates in apprenticeships and training programs. I well remember how the employers could comment on how well our graduates did, they were especially impressed with the young Maori graduates who showed such good work ethics and “sticktoitiveness” in their work. I became well acquainted with the Maori Education Foundation leaders. They were very supportive of what we were doing for the youth. I remember one individual who was doing a study on the aspirations and plans of Maori youth. He called to meet with me. He said his interviews with the CCNZ students was so very different from the other youth he interviewed. They had aspirations and plans for the future that he said were so different from what he was finding elsewhere. They seemed so positive about education and had plans that included further training and higher education. After our visit, he said he could now better understand why.
I remember taking some of our students, at the invitation of Dr. Rogers, Mayor of Hamilton, for a special meeting. As he spoke he drew attention to the students and commented on how impressed he was with the college and the students. He went on to urge the attendees to visit the college and see how the Church had literally lifted the fog and haze from the Waikato and from the hearts and minds of the people regarding the LDS Church.
CCNZ is so much more than just buildings, it stands as a memorial to those who laboured to buiild it, and those who came to teach and be taught. It just wasn’t meant to be destroyed. The old MAC was destroyed by nature and was unavoidable, but to destroy CCNZ would have been a thoughtless act of wilfull destruction the thankfully was avoided and will stand as a witness to future generations of the labour and sacrifice of so many who came there. Well I have said more than I intended, so please excuse the ramblings of one who loves New Zealand so much, and especially Temple View and CCNZ.
Thank you Brother Reed and your family. The school has connected all of us together in this wonderful tapestry of love, charity and service.