Whānau Āwhina Plunket is gifting its Hinds property back to the community, who may be able to use it as much-needed changing rooms for the nearby pool in the future.

Community Services Manager Jane Denley said the building was fundraised for by the local community and built on leased reserve land back in the 1950s.

“The building at 1 Isleworth Road was a clinic to start with but has not been used to provide Plunket services for several years as whanau now travel to Ashburton.”

The building has been empty for some time and Plunket handed over the keys on settlement day, 9 December.

“We have no plans for future use so it’s a win-win situation that we can gift the property back to the Hinds community through the Ashburton District Council to be used as changing rooms for the pool.”

The old changing rooms at the pool were demolished last summer, after being red stickered as an earthquake risk.

“In fact you could say the Plunket rooms have gone from being used to changing nappies to hopefully changing into togs,” Ms Denley said.

The building was gifted to Plunket by the late R.A. (Bob) Burnett. He was a prominent figure and businessman in Hinds who was very generous to the greater community. He was the founder of Burnett's Motors.

The Plunket building sits on land managed by the Hinds Reserve Board, with the help of Council. It has two separate rooms and a toilet.

Cr Richard Wilson said the building held lots of memories for the community and several generations of Hinds district babies had been weighed and assessed there.

“Council has applied for Government funding to create new changing rooms at Hinds, and at the Rakaia pool, and so this building from Plunket is appreciated. We hope it can be renovated to become new changing rooms.”

The building is currently separated from the pool by a tin fence that would be removed if the renovation project goes ahead. Council staff are looking into the detail of what would be needed to convert it to new, compliant changing rooms.