Contents decided for time capsule in Ashburton’s new library and civic centre
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A snapshot of present-day Ashburton District will be preserved inside the new library and civic centre.
The contents of a time capsule to go in the new library, Te Pātaka o kā Tuhituhi, and civic centre, Te Waharoa a Hine Paaka, have been decided, with items detailing life in the Ashburton District in 2023.
A Heritage Mid Canterbury Working Group produced a final selection of items for the Ashburton District Council to sign off on Wednesday.
The group was praised for a tremendous job compiling the items that “fit the bill for the criteria”, Ashburton mayor Neil Brown said.
The focus was for the items to be district-specific, people and facilities, general manager Sarah Mosley said
“We have got a good representative sample of items and objects that will stand the test of time.”
The items cover the formal background of the building, the built and natural environment, the people, and various time-specific objects.
The list of items had the support of the councillors with councillor Lynnette Lovett requesting the addition of a copy of the Rural Women’s recipe book.
The working group had discussed the book and as the recipes were “unlikely to be Ashburton specific”, they were not included, Mosley said.
The limitations of the size of the box were also considered in the decision-making process councillor Carolyn Cameron, who was on the working group, said.
“If we want to put the recipe book in, what are we going to take out,” Cameron said.
The working group considered items that may not exist in 50 years’ time which had Brown asking if a pack of cigarettes should be included.
It had been considered but “having a tobacco product or a vape inside of the time capsule would probably not be good for long term preservation”, museum archivist Connor Lysaght said.
Lysaght described the capsule as “almost like a Russian nesting doll”, with a stainless steel inner box and wooden outer box that will be placed in the wall cavity.
The capsule will be placed for the official opening but will not be sealed until items relating to the opening are added.
The councillors decided opening date set for the time capsule will be in 2078, to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Ashburton County Council, which is two years after the 200th anniversary of the Ashburton Borough Council.
Time capsule items include:
- All resolutions of the council regarding the design and construction of the building.
- Photographs from the official opening
- Floor and elevation plans of the building.
- Large district map containing all road names.
- Aerial photographs of townships
- Photographs with captions of significant facilities and places, district landmarks and significant events, reserves, flora and fauna, lakes and other natural landmarks.
- Environmental reports
- Infographic report profiling the district’s population.
- List of clubs, organisations, churches, health and other facilities and services.
- Yearbooks from Ashburton College, Mt Hutt College
- An item selected by Arowhenua rūnanga
- Objects including facemask and vaccine pass, current monetary tender, council fees and charges list
- The ‘Hakatere Home and Heritage’ book which shows the growing ethnic diversity of Ashburton society
- Examples of district-manufactured goods e.g. socks, spinning wool.
- A test tube sample of seeds grown within the district and quantity facts.
- An edition of the Ashburton Guardian and community newsletters.
- The council is also set to run a promotion where people in the community can fill out a form at each council facility which asks “What’s the best thing about living in the Ashburton District”, their name and age.
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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).
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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
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