Two bits of good news has come through on the emails from Michael Wood, convener of the Puketapapa (Mt Roskill) local history forum (and also member of the Puketapapa Local Board). For starters, the Parks, Recreation, and Heritage Forum of Council approved scheduling the old Roskill Fire Station yesterday. This Mt Albert Road building, opened in 1927, bears a distinctive Dutch gable designed for the main architect for the building, Arthur Palmer, by his partner at the time (who had an adjoining office in the now-vanished Victoria Arcade on Queen Street) Gerald Edgar Jones.
The second is that a meeting is being arranged, to be held at the Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall, 15 May Road, Mt Roskill, on Sunday 31 July at 2pm, towards the setting up of a historical society in the district. This is wonderful -- Roskill is ringed by historical societies from Blockhouse Bay, my own in Avondale, Mt Albert, Epsom-Eden, Onehunga and even Mangere across the Manukau Harbour, but hasn't until now had the community impetus to see a society form up in a district which really has quite a bit of untapped heritage.
If any readers are able and would like to head along and lend a hand and a voice to support this great local initiative, you'd be most welcome.
That is awesome re the firestation! Partner and i love that place. He's an ex Takapuna Station fireman.
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There's still the Regional Development and Operations Committee to pass through yet, and I suppose that would be followed by the Governing Body itself (full council). But -- keep hope alive, at this stage.
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