Blackball St John volunteer Denise Kilpatrick in front of the ambulance hall, which is being sold off by the St John Grey District Area Committee. Photo / Greymouth Star
Blackball St John volunteer Denise Kilpatrick in front of the ambulance hall, which is being sold off by the St John Grey District Area Committee. Photo / Greymouth Star
Blackball residents and St John volunteers are in shock after finding their station has been put on the market, potentially leaving the ambulance out on the street.
The building was gifted to the former Grey Valley St John committee over a decade ago.
It was put up for sale severalweeks ago by the Grey District St John Area Committee for $65,000. The real estate listing says it is "no longer required" by St John.
That has left some in the town including ambulance volunteers flabbergasted.
St John volunteer Denise Kilpatrick said she had decided to speak out, angry that the community had been left in the dark.
"The whole crux of the thing is Moonlight and Blackball residents fundraised for this building ... then gifted it to St John 12 years ago. Now they've turned around and put it on the market without consulting the community," Kilpatrick said.
"We've got some really anxious people thinking the building's gone, where's the ambulance going to go?"
Grey District Area Committee chairwoman Therese Gibbens said there is no need to consult the community because the service is not being reduced. Photo / File
St John should outline its plans to Blackball but there had been no communication. It was causing "needless worry" with questions about keeping an ambulance altogether.
"It's disrespectful. All we're asking is for the area committee to front up. We've got volunteers who have worked really hard in the community all their lives. If they're going to take the ambulance away, just come and say that," Kilpatrick said.
Grey District Area Committee chairwoman Therese Gibbens said there was no need to consult the community because the service was not being reduced.
"It's the same service," Gibbens said.
Three Blackball people involved with St John had been informed and the area was already struggling.
"We did a drive to try to get more volunteers. We didn't get any response," she said.
The current building was among those listed by the Grey District Council as below new seismic criteria. The committee was advised of its obligations, and being financially straightened decided to quit the building altogether.
"We can't justify spending money on it. The building needs to be strengthened or rebuilt and we don't have the finances to do that. It's tough times for St John."
Gibbens reiterated that the new St John national levy of $5 for every man, woman and child charged to the Grey District Area Committee was crippling it to the tune of $100,000 a year, and that included those living around Blackball.
"There's going to be no change to the service in Blackball. There will still be a first response vehicle. It just won't be housed in the building."
Kilpatrick said Blackball had been waiting for over six years for a new ambulance facility, following a gift of money, but St John had been quiet on that.
It appeared there would be no direct reinvestment back to the town from proceeds of the current building either, she said.
"The money is not going to be used for a new station. The money is going back to St John and we're left without a station that was gifted to them."
Gibbens confirmed there would be no new building. She was present when the current building was handed over to the former Grey Valley Ambulance Committee.
"It was done unconditionally and the area had maintained the building for years and any proceeds would go back to it. It was never said, 'you must do this or that.'"
Blackball Residents Association chairwoman Amanda Paton said the association intends to call a public meeting soon - particularly about where the ambulance was going to be housed.
"We would like St John to attend the meeting ... and keep the positive channels of communication open," Paton said.
She would not say if the area committee had yet engaged with the residents association but described what was happening as "a difficult situation" which they were trying to work through.
