1. Q. Does the community support a new centre being built?
2. Q. Do we need another community centre?
3. Q. Who would run a new ‘traditional’ community centre?
4. Q. Why don’t we leave the Reserve as a green space?
5. Q. Why don’t we make the Reserve a food forest?
6. Q. Why move the Shirley Library to 10 Shirley Road, Shirley Community Reserve?
7. Q. Why not relocate the Shirley Library to inside The Palms Mall?
1. Q. Does the community support a new centre being built?
A. Community Hub Support
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/community-hub-support/
1. ‘Shirley Road Central’ Group & ‘Where is our Community Centre?’ Petition
2. Letters of Support from Local Christchurch MPs
3. Richmond Residents & Business Association/We are Richmond
4. Shirley Village Project
5. Christchurch City Council Citizen Hub Strategy
6. Shirley Community Facility Feasibility Study
7. Local Government New Zealand
2. Q. Do we need another community centre?
No, we don’t need another ‘traditional’ community centre, as we already have 7 community centres located within a 2km radius of the 10 Shirley Road, Shirley Community Reserve.
https://www.10shirleyroad.org/shirley-centre-map
A ‘traditional’ community centre would add operational costs, which is why I have been proposing a community hub (library/service centre/learning spaces/meeting rooms/playground/recreation space).
“Integrated, multi-discipline hubs will be created where it makes sense, and will be the preferred future model:
– Customers can go to one location to meet their requirements
– Lower building maintenance costs
– More efficient use of staff through rostering
In the longer term hubs can become a gathering place for more community services
Facilities are fit for purpose for the community it serves:
– Reduction in costs to council
– Community continues to have pride in their facilities and maximise use
– Locations meet customer demand and are centrally located in our communities
– Higher return on investment in facilities”
(Hub Principles, Page 16)
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/ccc-citizen-hub-strategy/
3. Q. Who would run a new ‘traditional’ community centre?
A. “11. Ownership, Governance and Management Review, Governance and Trusts as vehicles to drive Community Outcomes
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/shirley-community-facility-feasibility-study/
– One key issue is how to gain a level of co-ordination of efforts across these neighbourhoods.
– Each Trust and its umbrella collectives in the area has a limited reach that naturally extends to the boundary of the neighbourhood they serve…
(Shirley Community Facility Feasibility Study, Page 31)
Table 9. Governance options toward increased activation of 10 Shirley Road
Option ‘Support an existing Trust’, Negatives of approach:
– Unfavourable treatment of one Trust over others
– Not one Trust that spans these two neighbourhoods
– Would be either Church or Non-church aligned
– That trust would not necessarily hold the vision (Community Plan) for the whole area
Option ‘All comers’ Approach’, Positives of approach:
– Perceived as fair
– Council is not partisan”
(Shirley Community Facility Feasibility Study, Page 33)
4. Q. Why don’t we leave the Reserve as a green space?
A. The land at 10 Shirley Road is classified as reserve, vested in the Council by the Crown to be held “in trust for local purpose (site for a community centre)”.
“That means the land could not be used for any other purpose than a community centre…It also appears the land could not simply sit ‘vacant’.”
Does not restore the service available pre-earthquake on what was a popular, heavily used site. Unlikely to be acceptable to the Community.
9. Shirley Community Facility Rebuild – 10 Shirley Road (2015)
5. Background (Page 19) & 9.9 Legal Implications (Page 27)
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2015/08/SPCB_19082015_AGN.PDF
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/local-green-spaces/
5. Q. Why don’t we make the Reserve a food forest?
A. See above ‘4. Q. Why don’t we leave is as a green space?’
“There are 6 community gardens located within a 2km radius of the 10 Shirley Road, Shirley Community Reserve.”
https://www.10shirleyroad.org/shirley-centre-map
6. Q. Why move the Shirley Library to 10 Shirley Road, Shirley Community Reserve?
A. The current Shirley Library is located in the carpark of The Palms (Burwood Ward).
Shirley Library is considered a ‘suburban’ library, but there is a limited book selection, no board room, meeting rooms or learning centre (flexible spaces).
* There are no toilets available in the Library area.
Toilets for the building are located in the corridor off the main entrance to the building.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/christchurchcitylibraries/3978229955/in/album-72157611803290908/
– ‘Suburban’ library: Catchment ranges from 1.5km to 3km radius; services population range from 15,000 – 40,000.
Services could include a variety of activities and flexible spaces.
UDS – Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy and Action Plan 2007.
– ‘Neighbourhood’ library: Catchment ranges from 1km to 1.5km radius; serves population from 10,000 to 12,000 people. Services could include small, broad-spanning collections and a range of activities.
“…(2015) Council/ECan planning with mall owners in Shirley, with a view to possible relocation and upgrade of this library as a ‘suburban’ library.”
This implies that the current Shirley Library is actually a ‘neighbourhood’ library.
https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/2025/Libraries2025FacilitiesPlan.pdf
The actual floor space allocated to the Shirley Library, is less than half of the current building. As the Service Centre (which includes NZ Post) & the Coastal-Burwood Governance Team are also located in this building.
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/south-library-report/
There are currently no local ‘suburban’ Christchurch City Libraries in the Innes or Central Ward.
Innes Ward: https://ccc.govt.nz/culture-and-community/statistics-and-facts/community-profiles/papanui-innes-central/innes-ward/
Central Ward: https://ccc.govt.nz/culture-and-community/statistics-and-facts/community-profiles/papanui-innes-central/central/
Shirley Library is still considered the second busiest suburban library in Christchurch, even without dedicated learning spaces & meeting rooms.
“It [South] is the third-busiest suburban library, behind Fendalton and Shirley, with 4552 weekly visitors.”
https://i.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/128047707/earthquake-repairs-spell-18month-closure-of-popular-christchurch-library
Shirley Library has become our community centre by default, since the Shirley Community Centre was demolished in 2012, as our residents are continuing to ‘vote’ with their feet.
Youth Audit Tool (Page 13) & ReVision Youth Friendly Spaces Audit Report: Shirley Library (Page 20)
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2021/12/YTAC_20211201_AGN_5468_AT.PDF
“The Youth Audit Tool is an asset created by the youth sector of Christchurch, and offers a low-cost, robust methodology for capturing youth voice in the development of places and spaces around the city.”
As a parent of a teenager (diagnosed with ADHD, Autism & Sensory Processing Order), I’m concerned that the ‘Canterbury Youth Audit Check Card’ (Page 18) doesn’t include youth who are neurodivergent or have disability issues.
6. ReVision Youth Audit Shirley Library
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CCCDraftAnnualPlan2022JoannaGould.pdf, Page 6
7. Q. Why not relocate the Shirley Library to inside The Palms Mall?
A. “Libraries are one of the last non-commercial spaces we have where everyone is welcome.” Jenny Offill, Author
See: The Palms Mall https://www.10shirleyroad.org/shirley-centre-funding
See: https://www.10shirleyroad.org/ccc-equity-and-inclusion-policy &
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/ccc-integrated-planning-guide/
“Community Facilities need to be as unique in their design as their communities.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution recommended in the literature for the provision of Community Facilities, in fact, the literature supports the exact opposite, as Community Facilities need to reflect the unique needs of the communities they serve.
A ‘Community Focal Point’ (CFP) is a means of enhancing community life by providing a ‘heart’ in each neighbourhood.
The entire space is designed to enable and encourage community connections, in a relaxed, inclusive and welcoming environment that is enjoyable to be in.
Figure 1. Neighbourhood Focal Point Approach to Community Facility Provision” (Shirley Community Facility Feasibility Study, Page 9)
Table 4. Deprivation by Area Units (6 and above)
Here we see Richmond South, Edgeware and Shirley have higher levels of deprivation (6 and above) as a percentage of total population, much higher than the Christchurch Average.
These factors need to be considered in any analysis of the cost of access to community facilities.
(Shirley Community Facility Feasibility Study, Page 16)
Location of Provision
There is no direct provision of Council facilities within the defined facility catchment area (Shirley, Richmond, Edgeware and Mairehau) and much of what is provided is Church based, with the area being home to a number of strong Church based Trusts.
There does appear to be a gap in the area identified on the boundary of Shirley and Richmond.
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/shirley-community-facility-feasibility-study/