Ashburton’s new library and civic centre will open this year
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The opening of Ashburton's new $56.75 million library and civic building, Te Pātaka a kā Tuhituhi and Te Waharoa a Hine Paaka, has been pushed back again.
Ashburton District Council chief executive Hamish Riach said the building “remains on schedule to be completed this year, with the opening planned for the fourth quarter of 2023”.
The original completion date had been the end of 2022, but the council announced in February 2022 that delays in the construction industry caused by supply chain issues meant it wouldn’t be completed until the second quarter of 2023.
The delays had put the budget under significant pressure, Riach said.
“The $20 million from the Government's 'shovel ready' project funding has reduced the original financial input from ratepayers, but significant pressure remains on the timeline and budget due to the ongoing uncertainty of the construction market,” he said.
“Supplies have been secured for all major elements of the project and so supply chain risks have been reduced.”
There has been visible progress recently with exterior cladding and windows being installed.
“The seismic frames for the windows and the glass arrived in December,” Riach said.
“The installation of the seismic frames occurred over the summer break and windows are going up currently.
“The facade materials and cladding system arrived in early January and installation is progressing well.”
Work on the interior was progressing steadily as planned, he said.
“Plasterboard is becoming a dominant feature internally and it's pleasing to see the community meeting and activity spaces taking shape.”
As the windows go up, the external wrap will be removed piece by piece revealing the face of the building he said.
“The community can expect to see visible signs of the cladding going up in February.
“Expect to see workers tackling the roof installation next, while less visible, the internal lifts are due for April.”
The fate of the old council and library buildings had yet to be finalised.
Staff were working on options to present to the council, which included the sale of the old buildings, Riach said.
“Other future plans are afoot such as the decommissioning of the current buildings, relocation of equipment and books, and installation of technology and furniture.”
With the Baring Square East upgrade also set to begin soon, Riach said the council was working with contractors to coordinate the sequencing of multiple projects in the area and “a timeline will be known soon”.
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Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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