Koorda Roads Board Office (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The formation of the Road Board in 1928 and the building of the Road Board Offices in 1937 has had great social and historic significance for the district. The Road Board's leadership, influence and control of the development of the district, its facilities and amenities is considerable. In its own way the C.W.A. has also contributed leadership, influence and support to the development of the district.

Physical Description

This building consists of the main meeting room, two offices 1 with a central passage and back verandah partly used as a kitchen. There are fireplaces in each room, a strong room and a small area • partitioned off as a pantry. The front was an open verandah with a • typical 1930's inter war functional Art Deco facade. The verandah has now been closed in.

History

There had been much agitation for new Road Board offices and for a new Hall to mark the Centenary of Western Australia in Koorda in 1929 but these never eventuated. Then in 1934 at a well attended public meeting it was unanimously passed that a new hall, offices and a block of shops costing £3,000 should be built. However a remarkably cautious board shelved the idea. In 1937 the Board, consisting of Messrs A. Aitken, Chairman, M.T. Ovens, R. Mighall, F.A. Hewitt, J.S. Montague, D.W. Firns, and J.C. Green, was having most of its work done by contract and was employing sustenance workers. By this time, the most cautious and parsimonious, agreed that the old 'lean to1 Road Board office was not adequate. It was probably not as unsuitable by this as it had been back in 1928 when the young McGuigan had to start a new Board, in a thickly populated district with hardly a road, but no one had thought it would still be in use in R. Mighall gave notice of a motion concerning a new hall and offices. He contended that wheat had gone up, building prices were rising and there was bound to be a good year after two bad ones. A committee of Messrs. Aitken, Price and Mighall was appointed to go into the matter of a new Road Board office. It was generally agreed that a new hall and office should be built and the proposed sight was the south west corner of the 'Old Rec' ground. Plans were drawn up by an architect and it was decided to commence the front portion immediately, that being the Board offices. However the committee, on the 2nd September, decided to recommend that the old Hall be done up and to only build new Road Board offices in the main street. This was put to the Road Board meeting of the 8th September and Messrs Mighall and Montague moved that £1,250 be borrowed for offices only. The Board went ahead with this. The loan was advertised and tenders called for the new offices. Tenders were received ranging from £1,180 to £1,797. In the presence of the Board's architect, W.G. Bennett, M.C. Hayter's tender for £1,180 was accepted and the contract signed. Malcolm Hayter, son of Les and Mabel Hayter, was working for J.W. Price who could not tender because he was a Member of the Board, having joined earlier in the year when the member for the West Dukin ward, J.C. Green, after six years on the Board did not seek re-election. When work started on the offices south of the Hotel there was a great deal of surprise and considerable indignation coming from the young in the Community and the ever lively dramatic groups. They were irate because the Board did nothing about the renovating of the old Hall, but others didn't want anything done. This suited the ever cautious Board. However there were only two people, besides the Board members, at the Ratepayers Meeting in April, 1938, so the indignation had receded by then. The new Road Board offices were opened in the late afternoon of a hot April day, in 1938, by F.L. Warner, M.L.A. with S.B. Donovan, Commissioner of the Agricultural Bank present. The Chairman, Alex Aitken, stated that the offices were to mark ten years of local government in Koorda and the cost with interest was under £2,000. It was the only debt the Board had. It had paid, out of rates, for all the equipment and plant purchased. The cost of the offices would be about 6/- per rate payer per year, it was proudly stated. In 1 945 a Free Lending Library was set up in the Road Board Offices. The books were set up on shelves in one of the offices and everything was done or given by voluntary work and the Road Board and the Country Womens' Association supplied the books. When new Road Board Offices were built in 1975 on.the site of the "Old Rec", the old Road Board Offices were taken over by the C.W.A. and became their official meeting rooms and offices. One room is rented and is now the offices and production room for the Narkal Notes, a local newspaper. These rooms are also used by an optician, an accountant and the meeting rooms for the Red Cross, the Agricultural Society, the Leisure Group, the W.A. Farmers' Federation meetings and many of the sporting clubs.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: It is virtually as built although the front verandahs have been closed in.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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