Tradition

Another day to go.
The plaque above is attached to the wall in front of a slightly raised garden beside the atrium where the cafe I photographed the other day is found. The cafe was very busy today, with many staff calling by for a coffee and snack.

Greenlane Hospital became world famous in the 1960s and 70s because of the work by Sir Brian Barratt-Boys and his team in developing new techniques in cardiac surgery. There was massive resistance to any suggestions of moving away from the old hospital on Green Lane West to modern buildings in the Auckland Hospital beside the Medical School. Eventually, the money men prevailed and in 2003 the hospital closed. There is no doubt it was inefficient to maintain the older hospital and eventually the move has been accepted as having been sensible.
Nevertheless, part of me regrets the devaluation and then loss of tradition. Fortunately, I do not need the traditional or its replacement.