103-year-old church up for sale
A house of the Lord is set to become a house of the handyman.
The 103-year-old Puriri Church, just southeast of Thames on edge of the Hauraki Plains, is up for sale and the historic church is ripe for conversion into a character residence.
The forlorn looking structure – sitting on 1053 square metres adjacent to State highway 26 – will go to auction on September 29 through Bayleys Hamilton sales team Karl Davis and Lee Carter.
The building is 100 square metres and comes with an organ, which was originally housed at the Methodist church in Thames. Carter said it would answer the prayers of enthusiastic do-ityourself folk looking to create a heritage home on a big flat section.
‘‘The church is crammed with turn-of-the-last-century aesthetics and design - from what looks like native rimu and matai floorboards through to high vaulted ceilings and leadlight windows,’’ he said.
It began as a Methodist house of worship before becoming a shareduse ministry over the decades. However, as congregation numbers dwindled, so too did the secular support. The Presbyterian services ceased in 1970, followed by the Methodist in 1971 and the Anglican in 1973.
Community spirit rallied a decade later and the church was restored and reopened in 1988. In 2001, the community voted that the local populace was no longer able to physically or financially maintain the native timber and concrete structure and the doors were once again closed.
The church was deconsecrated in 2012 and bought by a consortium of Coromandel and Hauraki Plains locals with heavenly visions of somehow saving and refurbishing the beloved chapel. One by one, the consortium members either died or were bought out until only the current owners of the Puriri Church remain.
A heritage report on the church said: ‘‘The architectural significance of the Puriri Methodist Church lies in its modest Gothic Revival form, which is enhanced by decorative relief mouldings and the fenestration (window arrangements).’’
‘‘The church has cultural significance because it served local Methodists and other Protestant churchgoers for almost 90 years. Its place in the life of the community is enhanced by its location overlooking State Highway 26,’’ the heritage report adds.
Pathways expanded
A University of Waikato initiative that focuses on making the university more accessible to students of regional secondary schools and communities of the Waikato will be extended to include more schools across the region. It will be available to students from the Otorohanga and Waitomo districts, ThamesCoromandel, Hauraki, MatamataPiako and North Waikato districts.
Application day
The University of Waikato will host its second annual Applicant Day on campus on September 17. Applicant Day is a chance for applicants and their families to visit the University of Waikato, speak with faculty staff and students about study options and paper selections, and receive information necessary to complete an application to study.
Creative Waikato AGM
Creative Waikato is marking its fifth birthday this week with its first annual meeting. Conceived in 2011, the trust was formed the following year after its predecessors Arts Waikato and Creative Hamilton were wound down and merged. The meeting will be held on Thursday, September 1 at 5pm, at the organisation’s Alexandra St headquarters.
Roading award
Waikato District Alliance, a joint venture between Downer New Zealand and Waikato District Council, has won a best practice award for its work on the Rotowaro culvert replacement. The tricky environment and the fact Rotowaro Road is a rural road meant the local community were affected by a lengthy detour.