Fo Guang Shan temple dwarfs the old cottage that sits in its grounds. Photo / Greg Bowker
A 132-year-old cottage - one of the country's first schools built to offer free education - could be demolished because owners of the site cannot maintain it.
The old Baverstock schoolhouse, situated at the back of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple on Stancombe Rd in Flat Bush,
is the second oldest building in East Tamaki and is listed as a heritage and protected building.
Built in 1877, the schoolhouse catered for the first intake of local students after the Education Act of 1877 was passed - making education free, compulsory and secular.
The site of the schoolhouse has been used as a farm and in recent years became the site for the Buddhist temple, after owners applied and were granted resource consent from Manukau City Council. As part of the granted consent however, a condition to regularly maintain and preserve the schoolhouse was made. But after attempts to get funding to shift the schoolhouse failed, temple owners applied to the council to have the cottage demolished.
Botany councillor Michael Williams - who has been facilitating moves to save the historic building - said he is upset that the temple owners have not kept up to their end of the bargain.
"It's very unfortunate. This is a group that often invites political people and members of the community to take part in their cultural activities," Mr Williams said. "We all have unique cultures and this is part of ours - they need to actually value our unique culture."
Mr Williams said he had met the temple owners - who did not wish to comment - and had asked that they put their application to demolish the heritage building on hold.
A hearing by independent commissioners will now decide whether or not the Baverstock schoolhouse will be demolished, or shifted to another site. Mr Williams said relocating the schoolhouse to nearby Baverstock Oaks School was one of the best options as it could also be used for classroom purposes.
