Media Release
29 August 2005

Council gives green light to Torere

Last Thursday (24 August), at a full meeting of Manukau City Council, councillors voted to rebuild Te Whare o Torere at the Emilia Maud Nixon Garden of Memories in Howick.

The decision followed an earlier workshop where councillors discussed the detailed plans and costing options.

The estimated building cost is $468,000. Of this, $166,000 is from insurance following the burning down of the previous building in October 2004. The rebuild is subject to the remainder being funded through a combination of externally sourced funding and, if necessary, through a reprioritisation of Council’s Property and Assets 2005/2006 programme.

Sir Barry Curtis, Mayor of Manukau says: “I am very pleased that councillors agreed to the rebuild of Torere. The challenge is now to work together and focus on securing the external funding needed to ensure Emilia Maud Nixon’s dream lives on.”

Carvings and tukutuku panels for the building, estimated at a cost of $250,000, will also be funded from external sources.

Once secured, the amount of external funding obtained will be reported to the Community Development Committee.

Councillors also requested a plan to protect and preserve the garden’s trees during construction.

ENDS

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