The sudden closure of Leys Institute is disappointing, but the lack of information about the degree of danger in the event of an earthquake, coupled with the one day’s notice, has been more concerning.
This was the first we had heard that council had no plans to remediate Leys quickly – at least not for three years.
Ponsonby News sought, and received, a copy of a report on the state of the Leys Institute building in light of earthquake requirements.
I must commend Tarannum Shaikh, of the media team, for sending me the whole November 2019, 400 page report. The recommendations made in that report were the reason that Ian Maxwell, Director of Customer and Media Services, peremptorily closed Leys. Staff and the public needed to be safe, he told us.
The Leys building is rated Heritage Category A. The need to upgrade it and many other old Auckland buildings to earthquake standards will be a costly multi-million dollar task. No costings have yet been done. The Waitemata Local Board will assess the situation and make recommendations to council. I urge our readers to lobby the board hard and insist that finance be found to restore Leys to its former glory.
Ian Maxwell told me there are lots of options – demolition and selling off to a developer for swanky apartments are possibilities. But to be fair to Mr Maxwell, he thought locals would strongly resist demolition or sale.
The Leys Institute was built in 1905 following a bequest on the death of Ponsonby bookbinder William Leys, a former chairman of the Ponsonby School Committee. He was concerned that some local boys were loitering in Ponsonby, and could benefit from the ‘mental and moral discipline’ of a library. William Leys’ brother, Dr Thomson Wilson Leys, added to William’s bequest, and the library was built. Other members of the Leys family have contributed generously since the opening.
Ian Maxwell said the Leys family had other nearby property which might be sold to help renovation costs.
This iconic building must be saved and restored, and the finance must be found. It has been a source of community wellbeing, making life a little better for residents for over a hundred years.
I’m sure the Leys building will not suddenly fall down, and that an earthquake in Auckland is unlikely, but I can understand Ian Maxwell’s concern for his staff and the public, even though I told him I thought the sudden closure was a knee-jerk reaction to what was, however, a detailed and comprehensive council report.
Now we watch closely what the Waitemata Local Board will say and do.
Please let Ponsonby News know what you think about the Leys Institute Library’s future. I think it would be criminal to just let it fall down, or to sell it off to a developer. (JOHN ELLIOTT)