‘Shirley Community Reserve Development Plan’
Let’s Talk Consultation: 25 August – 13 September 2026
https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/SCRdevelopmentplan
Consultation Feedback Document:
Shirley Community Reserve Development Plan
Consultation Feedback by Joanna Gould
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ShirleyCommunityReserveDevelopmentSept2026JoannaGould.pdf
Reserve Development Plan | Planning Considerations
1. ‘Local Purpose’ Reserve (Site for a Community Centre):
“You will see in s16 of the Reserves Act that the classification reflects the primary purpose of the reserve, but that does not prevent other compatible activities occurring there.
It is also possible to classify part of a reserve for one purpose and the other part or parts of the same reserve for any other purpose, but that would require a survey to define the separate parts…
The ‘primary’ purpose is generally the main use of the reserve rather than determined by the size of the area an activity takes place on.
…if a decision was made to classify part of the reserve as ‘recreation’ and the remainder ‘local purpose (community centre)’ then a survey would be needed to define the areas so that the appropriate Gazette notice of the new classifications could be published. It is unlikely that this will be considered worth the expense.”
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/email-to-the-department-of-conservation-17th-sept-2025/
The former ‘Shirley Community Centre’ building was a landmark on Shirley Road.
Now the significantly smaller ‘Community Centre’ building, is visually hidden by the surrounding proposed ‘recreational’ activities in the CCC Draft Plan.
2. Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board:
“Shirley Community Reserve should become:
– a destination of choice for the community,
– a safe space,
– a place that enhances well-being, and
– provides a place for social connection.”
https://letstalk.ccc.govt.nz/waipapa-papanui-innes-central-community-board/agreed-vision-shirley-community-reserve
3. Current & Potential Reserve Users:
Prior to the Canterbury Earthquakes, the former ‘Shirley Community Centre’ building was well used by locals & residents from around Christchurch, due to the range of day & night activities available at this accessible location.
The Reserve is currently used mainly for the car park, as a drop off/pick up location for Shirley Playcentre (on the Reserve) & Shirley Primary School (opposite the Reserve).
The current playground is well used by preschoolers & primary age children.
While the half basketball court & temporary pump track have limited use, the table tennis table is never used.
During the day, Preschoolers, Youth & Adults (Caregivers, Disability/Health Issues, Tertiary Training, Self Employed, Unemployed, Part-time/Shift Workers, Retirees, Tourists), are the potential users of the Shirley Community Reserve.
– Preschoolers have limited access to suitable playgrounds that are fully fenced.
– School age residents are in school, with access to their own school playgrounds.
Yet the ‘CCC Shirley Community Reserve Development Plan – Draft Plan’:
– focuses on ‘recreational’ activities that cater mainly for school age residents
– limited opportunities for Youth/Adults to engage in activities at the Reserve
– Basketball Court & Pump Track have increased in size, yet currently rarely used
– Current Playground replaced with ‘Accessible Play’ & ‘Skills Loop’, with few options for independent & imaginative play for preschoolers development, as equipment focuses on swings, with no Modular Play equipment to climb/crawl/hang/slide.
Reserve Development Plan | Planning Questions
If the Shirley Community Reserve is to become:
– a destination of choice for the community,
– a safe space,
– a place that enhances well-being, and
– provides a place for social connection…
1. How can the Reserve be developed to invite more residents to ‘come, stay & play’?
2. What areas can be included to create a ‘safe, inclusive, intergenerational space’?
3. How can the Reserve be used to ‘enhance the well-being’ for all ages & stages of life?
4. Where are the opportunities for ‘passive’ (to be) & ‘active’ (to do) Reserve users?
Related Blog Posts:
– https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/placemaking/
– https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/bumping-spaces/
– https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/intergenerational-design/
– https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/youth-audit-10-shirley-road/
– https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/shirley-community-reserve-memo/
A. Existing Reserve Users
A.1. Shirley Playcentre
A.2. Shirley Primary School
A.3. Reserve Playground
A.4. Shirley Recreational Walkers
A.5. Shirley Road Bus Stops
For more details, see Page 1 of my Consultation Feedback .pdf
Consultation Feedback by Joanna Gould
A. Existing Reserve Users (White Boxes) & B. Access & Footpaths (White Lines)
B. Access & Footpaths
– B.1. Shirley Road
– B.2. Chancellor Street
– B.3. Dudley Creek
– B.4. Slater Street
For more details, see Page 1 of my Consultation Feedback .pdf
Consultation Feedback by Joanna Gould
C. Reserve Zones
C. Reserve Zones
– C.1. ‘Road’ Zone (Red Dotted Line)
– C.2. ‘Creek’ Zone
– C.3. ‘Building’ Zone
– C.4. ‘Playcentre’ Zone
– C.5. ‘Playground’ Zone
– C.6. ‘Car Park’ Zone (Orange Dotted Line)
– C.7. ‘Grass’ Zone
For more details, see Page 2 of my Consultation Feedback .pdf
Consultation Feedback by Joanna Gould
D. CCC Draft Plan
D. CCC Draft Plan
– D.1. Pump Track
– D.2. Skate Area
– D.3. Adventure Play
– D.4. Accessible Play
– D.5. Skills Loop
– D.6. Basketball Court
– D.7. Table Tennis Table
– D.8. Plaza Picnic Tables
For more details, see Page 3 of my Consultation Feedback .pdf
Consultation Feedback by Joanna Gould
E. ‘Shirley Centre’ Plan
E. ‘Shirley Centre’ Plan
– E.1. ‘Road’ Zone
– E.2. ‘Creek’ Zone
– E.3. ‘Building’ Zone
– E.4. ‘Playcentre’ Zone
– E.5. ‘Play’ Zone (Babies, Preschoolers, Primary Aged Children)
– E.6. ‘Move’ Zone (Youth, Adults, Older Adults)
– E.7. ‘Grass’ Zone
For more details, see Page 4 of my Consultation Feedback .pdf
‘Shirley Centre’ Plan | Suggestions
– https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/playground-ideas/
– https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/shirley-centre-transport/
– https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/local-green-spaces/
– https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/gateway-to-the-east/
Consultation Feedback by Joanna Gould
F. Reserve Activation
F. Reserve Activation
– F.5. Information Signs & Interpretation Board (White Triangle at Shirley Road Entrance)
Information Sign 1:
‘You Are Here’, Location Map, Reserve Building Info, Booking Info, What’s On Info.
Information Sign 2:
‘Need Help?’, Links to local Support Services (as requested by ReVision Youth Audit).
Interpretation Board:
‘Tell Our Stories’, History of Shirley Road, Original Building, Local History etc.
– F.6. StoryWalk
StoryWalk is an interactive outdoor literacy activity, where the pages of a children’s picture book are displayed on posts along a walking path, allowing families to read a story while walking through nature.
‘The Wonderful Stranges’ by Melanie Koster (Christchurch Author):
https://christchurch.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S37C1567292
– F.7. Footpath Games & Exercises
Turn ordinary footpaths into active/engaging/movement paths, good for all ages & abilities. Also useful to redirect young children who need distracting when transitioning from the E.5. ‘Play’ Zone to leave the Reserve & go home, plus moving from the car park to go to the playcentre or school.