Excitement building around Ashburton’s new library and civic centre
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A sneak peek inside Ashburton’s new library and civic building, Te Pātaka a kā Tuhituhi and Te Waharoa a Hine Paaka, has only increased the anticipation.
Chief executive Hamish Riach said the shapes are starting to form after taking a tour of the construction site last week.
Riach said councillors have been visiting the site regularly to monitor progress and with each visit the excitement builds as it takes shape.
“It feels like building your own house and waiting on completion to move in.”
The $56.75 million project remains on track for the revised completion of mid-2023.
Riach said the project was still on budget but it was very tight and there was a lot of pressure due to ongoing supply chain issues.
There would be visible progress for the public soon with the building facade in production to go up in the next few weeks.
Once complete, the library will be a major upgrade, both in size and modernity, from the existing library on Havelock St, which is considered an earthquake risk.
Riach said a library was not all about books anymore and the new site would include a sound studio, wet and dry areas, big screen and event space.
The cafe would be more like an expresso bar, with the lease yet to be taken up, similar to Te Ara Atea, the Selwyn District’s library in Rolleston.
One unique aspect of the build is incorporating the Historic Pioneer Hall into the building.
The new three-storey building will engulf the 106-year-old hall, which will become part of the children’s library.
It will be encapsulated by a large glass atrium spanning between the two main buildings and people walking between the main and secondary building will be able to look down on the space.
A time capsule is also to be placed in the new building.
The council received $20m from the Government’s shovel-ready project scheme for the building.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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62.4% Summer
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36.2% Winter
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
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