A petition calling for the construction of the planned Hornby recreation and leisure centre to not be pushed back due to the impact of Covid-19 has been handed to Christchurch City Council.
Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board member and Greater Hornby Residents Association deputy chairman Mark Peters presented the petition with 542 signatures to city councillors at their meeting on Thursday.
Peters said there are growing concerns within the community the project could be delayed as some councillors call for a zero per cent rates increase. A staggering $122 million in savings would need to be made to achieve the zero per cent rates rises.
City council staff say this would lead to "severe impacts" on council services as well as an "unprecedented level of staff redundancy". Councillors opposed to the zero per cent increase have also said it would lead to several projects being delayed.
It is hoped construction of the $35.7 million Hornby library, customer services, and recreation and sport centre would begin in 2021 and it would be open by late 2022.
However, a city council spokeswoman said the council would welcome and consider all feedback during the draft Annual Plan public consultation process which begins on Friday. This includes submissions calling for no rates rises, which if listened to could result in projects like the Hornby leisure centre being delayed.
Peters said the community needed the project now.
"We firmly believe this project will deliver employment doing the construction and past construction, so this is a way of providing jobs for the community," he said.
