Shedmen hankering for more room

Planning has started to relocate the Hamilton Men’s Shed, with backers wanting to focus on providing learning opportunities for the city’s retiring baby boomers.

The Men’s Shed was set up eight years ago with the aim of providing a positive and social space for men who were between jobs or who had retired but had practical skills to offer.

Since its launch the shed has offered mixed-gender classes and children’s programmes.

Shed trust chairman Neil Bruce said the shed was now in need of more space and held a meeting last month with community leaders to gauge support for a shift in venue.

The shed is currently located at the Ward Park Art Centre, on the corner of Ward St and Seddon Rd.

Bruce said a possible change in venue coincided with a shift in focus for the shed.

‘‘With a move to a specific, purposebuilt facility the idea would be to look at enhancing learning opportunities for seniors,’’ Bruce said.

‘‘We’ve already got the Celebrating Age Centre, which fills an admirable space for people to meet, but it has its limitations in size and when you have learning that requires specialist equipment that’s where we find things don’t measure up.’’

Following last week’s meeting a fivemember steering committee was established with the brief to connect with interested parties who may have a site to offer.

‘‘The key thing for us is a space that is affordable on which either a facility can be built or where a facility exists and can be adapted and amended for multiple use,’’ Bruce said.

The new facility would potentially cater for wood, metal, horticultural, electrical, computer and culinary pursuits.

‘‘We need a space that will be able to do justice to a number of areas beyond wood and we’re getting support from the city council for groups working together towards a community goal that benefits the lifelong learning of adults,’’ he said.

aaron.leaman@fairfaxmedia.co.nz