The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints closed the Church College of New Zealand (CCNZ) in 2009. The Church’s original desire to demolish many of the school buildings, followed by repurposing the former campus for other uses, was amended insomuch that repurposing options might be considered ahead of any removal of buildings. With that change in strategy and while repurposing plans have been developed, the former school buildings and old teacher homes still remain intact.
However, following four years of research, analysis, and consultation, the Church has now submitted into the Hamilton City Council a resource consent application for an upgrade of Tuhikaramea Road, a new stake centre (chapel) and car-park, and new Legacy Park. This development requires the demolition of many of the eastern former teacher houses, and the boys’ dormitories and old medical centre.
The resource consent will be public notified followed by a hearing in front of independent commissioners. This application is the first of others that the Church is moving forward in an effort to repurpose the former CCNZ campus. The proposed stake centre will be the largest in New Zealand and will not follow the Church’s standard plan design of other worship facilities they have built in this country. A few of the features previously provided by the David O. McKay Building have been incorporated into the design of this new stake centre building.
The Tuhikaramea Road upgrade includes improvements to infrastructure, construction of new roundabouts, updated lighting, trees, and footpaths, new pedestrian crossings and roadside parking. The Legacy Park is to be constructed in memory of the labour missionaries and will include boardwalks, trees, other amenity plantings and water features to enhance the quiet reverence surrounding the Temple grounds and provide an enjoyable peaceful experience for visitors to the temple and for the local community.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Plans are also being developed to remodel the Mendenhall Library for the New Zealand Hamilton Mission offices, proposed Church History Museum, little theatre and a classroom for education and other uses. The George R. Biesinger home, built for the American building supervisor by labour missionaries, will also be structurally and functionally remodeled. Both the Library and Biesinger home are heritage buildings so any remodel will preserve the heritage values of these two facilities.
We express appreciation to consulting planner, engineers, Iwi, architects, urban designers, archaeologists, legal counsel, Church and community leaders, and Hamilton City Council officials for their expertise and ongoing assistance.