13. Waipapa Papanui-Innes Community Board Area Report – June 2022
3. Community Support, Governance and Partnership Activity
3.1 Community Governance Projects
Activity: Shirley Community Reserve Activation
Detail: Staff are investigating options (Attachment A) for the activation of the site further to the Board’s site visit and follow up discussion of the Youth Audit Workshop.
On 18 May 2022, Council staff (local Community Development Adviser, Manager Parks Planning and Asset Management, Team Leader Visitor Experience) met with representatives from the Shirley Road Central group to discuss their ideas for the Shirley Community Reserve, and got an insight from the group on the local history of the site and surrounding area.
Timeline: Ongoing
Strategic Alignment: Improve and support community facilities and amenity in the Papanui-Innes Wards.
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2022/06/PICB_20220617_AGN_7648_AT.htm#PDF2_ReportName_36788
Attachments: A – Memo – Shirley Community Reserve
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2022/06/PICB_20220617_AGN_7648_AT.htm#PDF3_Attachment_36788_1
Date: 10 June 2022
From: Kelly Hansen, Manager Parks Planning and Asset Management
To: Waipapa Papanui-Innes Community Board
Reference: 22/701171
Shirley Community Reserve
1. Purpose of this Memo
1.1 The purpose of this memo is to collate and provide information and advice to the Waipapa Papanui-Innes Community Board on short term development suggestions for Shirley Community Reserve.
2. Origin
2.1 Following demolition of the earthquake damaged Shirley Community Centre in 2012, the Community Board has discussed various suggestions for redevelopment that have been raised through community engagement and a youth audit and have asked for advice on a number of ideas.
4. Key Points
Background
4.1 The community centre that was located on Shirley Community Reserve at 10 Shirley Road was demolished in 2012 as a result of earthquake damage.
A pre-school [Shirley Playcentre], playground, basketball half court, trees, and paths remain on site.
The Council has constructed a relocatable pump track, table tennis/picnic table, and an open grass area.
4.2 In June 2021, the Council approved $3 million funding for the rebuild of the Shirley Community Centre in FY 2029/30 – FY 2031/32 with the option to bring forward funding in an Annual Plan if plans are progressed.
4.3 A feasibility study is currently underway to estimate the construction costs for four potential options for a new community facility.
– 1. Mixed use hub incorporating a library, service centre, and community operated community space,
– 2. Community operated large community facilities building,
– 3. Community opearted small community facilities building,
– 4. Outdoor options similar to Dallington landing.
4.4 Staff will prepare a report to the Council that incorporated all the work undertaken regarding the Shirley Community Reserve in recent years including both feasibility studies, community feedback, and the geotechnical information for the site.
4.5 The Community Board has allocated $15,000 in discretionary funds for some short term enhancement of the site until longer term decisions are made.
Toilets
4.6 Provision of toilets was suggested by two submitters in the 2020 community engagement exercise and the 2022 Youth Audit for the reserve.
4.7 Neighbourhood parks, such as the Shirley Community Reserve, cater for local communities.
They do not usually have toilets as they are generally only a short distance from users’ homes and people do not visit for long periods of time.
Signage
4.19 At its meeting of 18 March 2022, in response to a presentation in the public forum, the Community Board resolved:
Request staff work with Shirley Road Central to progress their idea for signage.
4.20 Current signage at the reserve is outdated, in poor condition, misleading, and therefore unwelcoming.
Modern, maintained signs subconsciously send our park users the message that the park is cared for. This can reduce anti-social behaviour.
4.21 A sign plan for the park will be developed by the Parks Unit Visitor Experience team by August 2022.
4.23 The signage plan will follow the guidelines provided in the Parks Unit Sign manual, the Parks and Reserves bylaw, and the requirements of Council branding.
Current use of the park will be considered.
Signs not compliant with the Council branding may be modified in consultation with any external groups.
4.24 After discussion with representatives from the Shirley Road Central group it was agreed the Visitor Experience Team would also investigate developing one or two interpretation boards.
These would tell the stories of both local and city-wide significance; original school heritage buildings, community centre and its role in the community, historic domestic buildings adjacent to the park, and Dudley Creek remediation.
The Shirley Road Central group has provided reference material.
4.25 The existing damaged community centre user group sign will be removed and stored by the Parks Unit with potential to restore and re-use if a relevant re-use on the reserve is found.
Lights
4.26 Lighting the reserve was suggested through the youth audit as a way to improve safety.
4.28 Staff strongly recommend against lighting the park due to concerns about user safety and disturbance of neighbours.
4.29 It is a common perception that lights make a park safer, however, the opposite is often true.
Lighting encourages people to use a park at night when there is no passive surveillance occuring – there are no people walking past and neighbours have their curtains closed and attention focussed indoors.
Lighting makes park users visible and predictable and creates shadows and hidden areas for danger to lurk.
Lighting parks at night is contrary to the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).*
It creates a false sense of security and sends a potentially misleading message that the park is a safe place to use at night.
4.30 Lighting encourages night time activity that may disturb neighbours, e.g. basketball.
There are residential properties close to the Shirley Community Reserve.
Complaints about basketball noise and other evening activities could be expected.
Automatic light switch-off times may help but activity would likely extend beyond these times.
* [see “CCC Draft Annual Plan 2022-2023 Submission” post:
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/ccc-draft-annual-plan-2022-2023-submission/
– 3.1 Christchurch City Council – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) | Research
– 3.2 Christchurch City Council – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) | Comments
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CCCDraftAnnualPlan2022JoannaGould.pdf, Page 3]
Basketball court renewal
4.31 The condition of the [half] basketball court is currently rated as moderate (scored as 4 on a scale of 1-5 where 1 is good and 5 is poor).
Asset renewals are prioritised based on condition and community need with the poorest condition assets (scoring 5) prioritised first.
It is important to confirm any potential changes in location or size of the court as part of the reserve redevelopment before renewing the court.*
This would be done as part of a landscape plan for the whole reserve.
4.32 A new full court is estimated at approximately $90,000.
* There already is a full sized indoor basketball court at Avon Hub in Richmond & a full sized outdoor basketball court at MacFarlane Park in Shirley.
– Avon Hub, 77 North Parade, Richmond: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WuCiJnS4ZDyhdDnC9
– MacFarlane Park, Cnr Acheson Avenue & Skipton Street, Shirley: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TzQvfmvmwka8Gsaj6
“Avon Hub has a full sized indoor basketball court…”
https://www.easterncommunity.co.nz/facilities/avon-hub/
“Vandals stripped out most of the cable, smashed the gym floor and windows and badly damaged the Spartan Room.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gym-could-be-saved-at-badly-vandalised-former-shirley-boys-high-school-site/QTV5NXS24MYPCFC5QVD4WEZT6E/
“On 22 May [2022], the Avon Hub (formerly known as the Spartan Sport Hall, at the former Shirley Boys High School site on North Parade) was opened to the community by Eastern Community Sport and Recreation Inc”
https://wearerichmond.co.nz/healthy-richmond/avon-hub-now-open-in-former-spartan-sport-hall/
Youth Audit MacFarlane Park Basketball Court [2021]:
“The basketball court is centrally connected to other places that local youth access and is surrounded by bus stops that cater for the central bus network.
The main area young people thought could be improved and gave feedback on is the current state of the basketball courts which need cosmetic and practical upgrading for youth to enjoy.”
https://www.10shirleyroad.org.nz/youth-audit-macfarlane-park/
Accessibility
4.35 Pathways provide access to the reserve for people with disabilities.
Any new developments would take accessibility into account.
Difficulty with access over the road gutter on Slater Street was raised during a site visit.
Bridge blocks over the gutter or a pedestrian cut down is estimated at $4-7,000 depending on the design and this work would be requested through the Transport Unit.
Activation
4.36 The results from the Youth Audit identified that the space is not currently used to its full potential.
Feedback received indicated that a series of activations would enhance the area whilst planning for the site is undertaken.
Suggestions were for community sport and recreation programmes, e.g. Ki O Rahi, play activations, and community family-focused events.
Two car boot sales and a skip day have already been held.
A series of activations would enhance the utilisation of the site and help facilitate future planning.
This would be done in conjunction with the local community.
The activation would cost approximately $10,000.
Reserve Planning
4.44 Planning for any reserve development will be dependent on the final decision on a community centre.
Ad hoc piecemeal development is to be avoided, a plan for the whole site will achieve the best outcome.
The reserve is suitable for a range of recreation opportunities and is of particular interest for facilities that have no other suitable location in the area, e.g. a skatepark (with unmet demand going back to 1993).*
Some funding is proposed for reserve development in FY26-29, subject to the community centre progressing and funding being confirmed in the next Long Term Plan.
* [10 Shirley Road/Shirley Community Reserve is in Richmond, not Shirley.
Currently the site is in the Innes Ward, but will be in the new Central Ward from October 2022.
Shirley MacFarlane Park Community Concept Plan
http://www.lucas-associates.co.nz/christchurch-banks-peninsula/shirley-concept-plan/
This is a community concept plan developed through a community planning process since 2005. MacFarlane Park and the Acheson Ave shops are in the physical centre of the study area and are the focus of this community concept plan because community feedback from the Shine event 2007 identified this as the main community concern and focus of their suggestions on ways to improve the neighbourhood.
(February 2008)
http://www.lucas-associates.co.nz/assets/Document-PDFs/Shirley-Concept-Plan.pdf]
5. Financial Implications
5.1 Budget Code: The Community Board have allocated $15,000 in discretionary funding towards the Shirley Community Reserve.
There is no other capital funding allocated for short term development.
6. Community Interest and Consultation
6.1 A range of views and suggestions for the reserve have been collected through a community engagement exercise in 2020, a Youth Audit in 2022, and various other community discussions.
7. Next Steps
7.1 Community Board reports are being prepared on the feasibility study for a community centre and proposed activation of the site.