Duncan Webb Support Letter

May 11, 2021

Dear Mayor and councillors,

I write in support of further exploration of the community centre concept proposed for 10 Shirley Road.

While this is not in my electorate the area serviced by such a centre would cross into Christchurch Central and benefit my constituents.

I have read the support letter provided by MP for Christchurch East, Hon Poto Williams, and I am happy to add my support to her views and encourage council to consider exploring the idea further, such as commissioning a feasibility study for full review including the future of the current Shirley Library.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and for listening to this passionate group of community advocates. Christchurch is fortunate to have such committed residents working for its greater good.

Nāku, nā
Dr Duncan Webb
MP for Christchurch Central

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Poto Williams Support Letter

22 April 2021

To Whom It May Concern

My constituents have asked me to provide a support letter for a new Community Centre at 10 Shirley Road, Shirley. The Shirley and surrounding communities has suffered a lot since the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence after having the Shirley Community Centre demolished in 2012.

When the original Community Centre was up and running it housed many learning and education spaces as well as supports from NGO’s.

The Richmond, Avonside, Dallington and Shirley Locals have a brilliant concept in their application to provide a Library and Education space and this new Community Centre could also provide a range of opportunities for the locals such as learning the Art’s, cooking lessons, gardening, exercise classes and various groups could be formed such as Seniors Knit and Natter or walking groups plus a cafe date where you could meet your neighbours over coffee. A space for after school activities and holiday programmes and possibly a venue for hire.

The Community Centre could also house NGO’s as well as drop in sessions for local organisations who could provide advice and assistance to those in need including Wellbeing/Health and Youth Clinics.

A Community Centre is a place where you are bringing everyone in the community together of all ethnicities and therefore I fully support this application and if you would like to discuss this further, then please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely
Hon Poto Williams
Member of Parliament for Christchurch East

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Shirley Road Central

The idea for this group came about while advocating for a new centre at 10 Shirley Road.

We can’t keep waiting for a new building to be built, because what could happen inside this building, is needed now:
a citizen hub for community connections, community directory, sharing resources, promoting activities/events/organisations, community education…

So instead of waiting for a ‘physical’ building to be built, we are creating an online community first, to connect communities around Shirley Road: Shirley, Dallington, Richmond, Edgeware, St Albans & Mairehau.

‘Shirley Road Central’ Website:
https://www.shirleyroadcentral.nz/
Directory: https://www.shirleyroadcentral.nz/src-directory/
Activities: https://www.shirleyroadcentral.nz/src-activities/
Blog Posts: https://www.shirleyroadcentral.nz/src-blog-posts/
Support Services: https://www.shirleyroadcentral.nz/src-support-services/

‘Shirley Road Central’ Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/shirleyroadcentral/
Online Community Directory & Community Education

‘Shirley Road Central’ Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/shirleyroadcentral/
Online Noticeboard & Community Discussions

Why ‘Shirley Road Central’?
https://www.shirleyroadcentral.nz/shirley-road-central/

CCC Long Term Plan 2021 Submission

PDF: CCC Long Term Plan 2021 Submission by Joanna Gould | April 2021

Christchurch City Council Long Term Plan 2021-31
Written Submission by Joanna Gould

1. Shirley Centre | Location
1.1 Suburbs surrounding 10 Shirley Road, Innes Ward Deprivation Index, SmartView Community Facilities
1.2 Projected Population, CCC District Planning Maps 25 & 32
1.3 CCC & Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust, Kāinga Ora (Housing New Zealand)
1.4 Nearest Bus Stops/Routes to Papanui/Aranui/Parklands/New Brighton Libraries, Nearest Bus Stops/Routes to Shirley Library, Bus Routes Network Map, Nearest Bus Stops/Routes Bus Routes to 10 Shirley Road, Bus Routes to Local Community Centres
1.5 Route from Local Schools to 10 Shirley Road, Local Schools Info, Local Schools Development Plans
1.6 EnviroSchools
1.7 CCC Have Your Say Consultation: Engagement Feedback for 10 Shirley Road Report
2. Shirley Centre | Learning Libraries
3. Shirley Centre | Legacy


Christchurch City Council Long Term Plan 2021-31
Verbal Submission by Joanna Gould

https://councillive.ccc.govt.nz/video/9942
N.B. Don’t try reading from your phone, if you have problems focusing due to your eyesight. Lesson learnt: write your verbal submission down on paper, so it’s easier to read…

Our Christchurch ancestors created a place for learning, the original Shirley Primary School at 10 Shirley Road in 1915, which later was turned into the Shirley Community Centre.
This building became part of our communities identity and our own memories, until it was demolished in 2012.

Our suburbs have had a significant increase to our population due to new residential/infill housing/social housing since the CCC District Plan has been changed after the earthquakes, but no new community facilities are on budget in the proposed CCC LTP plan?

The Council collects significant Development Contributions from our suburbs “to recover the costs of providing future growth capacity for facilities such as swimming pools, sports centres, libraries”, that need investing back into our community.

Yesterday Councilor Chen asked our Community Board what impact a new centre would have on rates. The impact should be cost neutral.
The sale proceeds of the “potential Disposal of Council Owned Properties”: the four properties: 114 Hills Road, 219A Hills Road, 79 Slater Street & 81 Slater Street, could be invested in building a new centre at 10 Shirley Road.

We have collected over 1,000 signatures with our petition, which we will be presented formally in the coming weeks.
We have a letter of support from Poto Williams, our MP for Christchurch East.
The residents in our communities wants this, but it is also needed.

This location is a very visible historic landmark at the beginning of Shirley Road. Leaving it empty without a community centre, is a constant reminder of what we have lost, that we have been forgotten & have no community legacy for the future generations and clearly not what our ancestors intended for their future generations: us.

We are asking you to instruct staff to put a plan in place to deliver a new centre in this Long Term Plan term.

We need a multi cultural civic facility, not faith based, not captured by loud voices in the community, something owned and managed by our Council for all the communities connected to Shirley Road.

CCC 10 Shirley Road Engagement Feedback

“The Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community Board wants to hear your ideas and aspirations on the future use of 10 Shirley Road (former Shirley Community Centre site).”
https://ccc.govt.nz/the-council/consultations-and-submissions/haveyoursay/show/334
Open for feedback: 18th September 2020 – 12th October 2020

“We have asked and talked to you about this before, and we acknowledge the work that has been done. We are asking again because we want to get this right, and we recognise the community landscape has changed considerably, especially over the last 2-3 years. Due to Council’s financial situation it is not expected in the short term that funding will be available, however the Board would like to see the site being used by the community. We want to find new ways of doing things that are innovative and look at alternative funding options and possible partnerships…Before the earthquakes there was a well-established community centre at 10 Shirley Road. Sadly, due to damage in the 2010/11 earthquakes the centre was demolished in 2012. There have already been several community conversations with feedback collated around a replacement facility. Over the last 10 years the Richmond and Shirley community has developed, with several locally managed community facilities emerging and some still emerging. We want to work alongside the community as we move into future planning for the good of the wider community.”

Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community Board Agenda, 20 November 2020
8. Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community Board Area Report – October 2020
Attachments: B – Engagement feedback for 10 Shirley Road site
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2020/11/PICB_20201120_AGN_4525_AT.PDF, Page 23 – 28
Page 29 – 58: Written Submissions from residents/groups
Page 59 – 60: Richmond Residents and Business Association/We are Richmond
Page 61 – 63: Convenor, NZ Society of Genealogists – Canterbury Branch
Page 64 – 70: NZSG Canterbury Branch 50th Anniversary February 2018
Page 71 – 80: Joanna Gould, Shirley Centre 10 Shirley Road (my submission)
Page 81: Joanna Byrne, Amazing Mairehau
Page 82: Frida Inta
Page 83 – 85: Sue Lang, Shirley Recreational Walkers

“2.2 At the close of engagement we received 58 submissions, including from the following groups:
2.2.1 Amazing Mairehau
2.2.2 Delta Community Support Trust
2.2.3 NZ Society of Genealogists
2.2.4 Richmond Residents and Business Association
2.2.5 Shirley Recreational Walkers”

“To assist the Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community in hearing ideas and aspirations from the community regarding the future use of 10 Shirley Road a questionnaire was delivered to approximately 800 properties within the vicinity of the site.”

“We received 29 submissions [out of 58 submissions] supporting the replacement of the Community Centre at this location. A number of these submissions also asked that a library be included in the building.”


Feedback Suggestions:

1. Community Gardens/Food Forest?
We already have two well established local community gardens:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/macfarlaneparkcommunitygarden/ (by Jebson Street, public toilets & water available)
https://www.facebook.com/RichmondCommunityGardenAvebury/ (by Avebury House, public toilets & water available)
A food forest needs to be connected to community gardens/schools. Trees need to come with care instructions & promote when fruit is ready to eat. Who will be responsible to water/feed/prune/treat against diseases/harvest the fruit?
Christchurch City Council SmartView: Fruit Trees
https://smartview.ccc.govt.nz/map/layers/trees#/@172.65369,-43.50847,16

2. Permanent Pump Track?
Shirley Primary School Facebook Page, Landscaping Update Stage 2 (across the road from the 10 Shirley Road site)
“There will be an obstacle course and an asphalt track around the outside of the [school] field for scootering. There will also be tunnels and two basket swings.”
https://www.facebook.com/157397280992606/posts/3792997170765914

3. Upgrade Playground, New Picnic Tables/Seating/Water Fountain/Public Toilets?
These suggestions can all be incorporated into a new landscape design, to complement a new centre being built at 10 Shirley Road.