Tawa Historical Society Incorporated

The Tawa Historian

Newsletter #28 – May 2012

Dear members and friends,

There are two major matters to bring to your attention. The first relates to the photographic exhibition we will present to the public in lieu of our usual Tawa History Week, when we have presented talks / lectures to any interested members of the Tawa community in the days immediately following Queens Birthday weekend. This year, courtesy of a grant of over $2000 from the Tawa Community Grants scheme, we will display 50 photographs of Tawa taken during the years 1900 to the 1960s.

We are not only grateful to the WCC and the Tawa Community Board for their generous grant, but also to New Zealand Micrographic Services, a Tawa firm based in the Tawa Junction buildings, who have reproduced the photos with a significant discount, and to Frame It, on the Main Road in Tawa, who are mounting the photos for display, also with a generous discount.

The Tawa Library have most willingly supported us by making the Library available for this exhibition, which will take place from Tuesday 5 June to Friday 15 June 2012. We trust that THS members will take the opportunity to stop by the Library to view the exhibition.

The second matter is to do with the future of the Tawa Railway Station. We are pleased that we were invited not only to make a submission to the Greater Wellington Regional Council (who now own the Railway Station), but also to address the public meeting to be held on Sunday 6 May at 4.30pm. Our submission is attached to this newsletter.

As an Historical Society, you will appreciate that we cannot readily assent to one of the few building remaining in Tawa which has an historic connection to our district being demolished, and our submission argues for its renovation rather than its removal or destruction. We also recognise that the GWRC have been handed a ‘hospital pass’ in having to now deal with a building and public asset which has been wilfully neglected for decades. Please take time to read our submission. We will all watch with interest what unfolds.

Kind regards