LETTER: We don’t know what we’ve got til it’s gone – cordial factory, Scout Hall, The Youthie

In response to and acknowledging the resolution that Kyogle Council made at their meeting held on Monday, November 10, which was to demolish the old Kyogle Rest Centre (or The Youthie as it is known today), I wanted to corroborate what my father had told me – that World War II Diggers had funded the building.

So, I went looking for information to substantiate this.

The Kyogle Historical Society uncovered two articles, which prove that the building was opened and dedicated as a War Memorial to the Second World War on Saturday,  August 19,  1961.  

In summary.

• It states in the Kyogle Examiner, Friday, August 18, 1961 – The Kyogle Women’s Rest Centre opening will be tomorrow.

A rest centre was selected as a Second World War Memorial project more than 10 years ago. In that time, the Kyogle War Memorial Community Centre Committee has raised over £2,300 towards the cost of the building which is in Memorial Park.

• Kyogle Examiner, Tuesday, August 22, 1961 – Function for opening of Rest Centre, Towns £3,900 War Memorial.

In officially opening the £3918 Kyogle Women’s Rest Centre, Mr ST Stevens MLA dedicated it “in memory of great men.”

About 200 people were at the official opening function. From a fete held during the afternoon for funds for maintaining the building, £120 was raised.

To go back further, the idea for the building was first talked about in 1948 as stated in the Kyogle Examiner, Friday, November 19, 1948 – “It was agreed that the memorial will be a community and youth centre, cenotaph and park. The site is to be the land adjacent to the Kyogle baths. The baths will probably be included in the plan.”

Bearing these facts in mind, I see the need to conduct a thorough investigation into the heritage and cultural significance of this War Memorial Building before it is too late.

Just because something is not ‘heritage listed’ doesn’t mean it has no inherent heritage significance to the community.

Let me be clear, I am not against progress or wanting things to be better for our community but I am against losing our history.

Over the years, we have seen the demise of some great buildings in our community which were part of our history such as the original CWA Rooms, the Scout Hall, the Leveretts Cordial Factory, the Old 66 Garage and the Yum’s Building at the bottom end of town.

We need to take stock of what we have got because once it’s gone, it’s gone and we don’t realise what we have until it is gone.

Tom Rogers,

Kyogle