The great institution is looking for ‘A reasonable lease’
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Auckland, June 11, 2018
After 18 years of leasing and founding one of Auckland’s most popular community venues, the Sri Chinmoy Centre on Karangahape Road may have to move on.
Rising rents are making its lease renewal an insurmountable hurdle, and one of Auckland’s last genuinely free community spaces will need to find a new location.
Quality activities
The Centre has taught over 35,000 Aucklanders the art and skill of meditation in regular free workshops and courses, with its activities funded solely by its member donations and fundraising initiatives.
The Sri Chinmoy Centre also organises free concerts of peaceful music, as in the recent ‘Sounds of the Sacred’ concert in Mt Eden and has humanitarian aid programs in support of children in the South Pacific nations.
Its bi-annual Peace Run is also a nationally popular event, featuring a torch relay involving over 40,000 NZ schoolchildren, civic and political leaders, and a host of Olympic patrons during the relay’s length of New Zealand journey.
‘Occupation’ with Respect
Sri Chinmoy Centre director Jogyata Dallas is keen to hear from any property owners who might like to discuss having the Centre as a tenant.
“We are happy to upgrade and create a beautiful space ourselves for our ongoing free programmes, and willing to look at most large spaces that might be suitable. We have got the best references on the planet and treat our tenancies with utmost respect and care. We are also one of the last community groups in Auckland who provide genuinely free services. Our founder, the late Sri Chinmoy, always felt that sharing our own love of meditation with others and the inner peace this brings should always be free of charge – inner happiness and spiritual awakening are everyone’s birthright,” he said.
‘Dream Tenants’
The Sri Chinmoy Centre was previously located on Dominion Road in Mt Eden for 16 years in a Council owned property, but the building was purchased by a property developer and finally demolished to create the Eden Quarter shops.
Former landlord Dhiraja McBryde describes the meditation group members and volunteers as ‘dream tenants.’
“They turned our property through their own expense and labour into a truly outstanding and inspirational place and were the nicest folk to deal with. They genuinely cared for people and never even put out a donation bowl in all their years of service. All of them were great ambassadors for the spiritual life and the path they followed – I really wish them well.”
If you have a large rentable space that could accommodate several rooms and would like to discuss the needs of the Sri Chinmoy Centre and lease possibilities, please contact Jogyata Dallas on 022-1887432. Email: jogyata@slingshot.co.nz. Website: www.meditationauckland.co.nz
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Photo Caption:
Jogyata Dallas
(Photo Courtesy: World Harmony Run)
