A tour of Ashburton's new library and civic centre, Te Whare Whakatere, is an opportunity to show off the district's new asset, with construction on track to open later this year. Jonathan Leask went for a look.
It looks big - and it is.
The current library is around 900 square metres and the new library space - the majority of the bottom floor and half the first floor, totals 2500sq m - just under three times the size.
A highlight is the large “performance space”, a room with terraced seating, bathed in natural light as it backs onto the rear courtyard, which will have a playground area.
Project manager Logic Group director Shaun Pont described it as a “flexible space” that can host performances, events, public meetings, or utilising the large LED screen.
The first floor also has several bookable meeting rooms of varying sizes, and another feature is the maker space, “an arts and crafts” space equipped with things like sewing machines and 3D printers, he said.
There is also an espresso bar, sound room and the architectural feature of the historic Pioneer Hall that has been absorbed into the complex and converted into a children’s library.
The space will also be available for community use.
On level two is the council chamber, Hine Paaka, and some offices with most of the council stationed up on level 2.
Ashburton District Council chief executive Hamish Riach wouldn’t be drawn into confirming anything around an opening date yet, “but hope to be able to announce an opening date next month”.
“We’re still on track to move in before the end of the year. The building is being completed from the top down, which makes an easier exit for the contractors, so the ground floor is the busiest and most congested at this point.”
Most days there are about 150 contractors on site as they work towards completing the complex three-storey build, Pont said.
Planning is under way for an official public opening which will occur after the council and library have moved into the new complex, Riach said.
“We are actually moving two workspaces into one - so it is a big job.”
The library will close for around three weeks during the transition from the old building to the new.
In the administration building, no services to the public will change.
Progress is also being made in the Baring Square redevelopment.
With the hoardings outside the new civic building now moved, contractors have been able to bring heavy machinery onto the site, Riach said.
“The next couple of weeks will see good progress preparing grassed areas and installing hard features, like seats.”
The Boer War Memorial is planned to be relocated on Friday to a stone mason’s workshop for special restoration, before moving to Baring Square West alongside the other war memorials.
- By Jonathan Leask
Local Democracy reporter
