19 July 2013

Restored Linwood Community Arts Centre re-opens

Mayor Bob Parker today re-opened the newly repaired Linwood Community Arts Centre, a significant facility for east Christchurch and for the city’s arts community.

Mayor Parker re-opened the building in conjunction with Te Whare Roimata Trust, which has re-occupied the building for the first time since the facility’s closure following the February 2011 earthquake. The trust offers free or low-cost arts-related activities such as art classes, dance and music workshops, concerts, carving classes, children’s holiday art programmes and exhibitions.

The Council-owned building is a community landmark, having stood on the corner of Worcester Street and Stanmore Road since 1885.

Mayor Parker says the re-opening of the Linwood Community Arts Centre, which has been closed since it was damaged in the February 2011 earthquake, is a milestone for east Christchurch and a key element in the rebuild and recovery of Linwood Village. It has also been restored as a focal point for the city’s arts community.

“The community arts centre has been sorely missed by locals and the arts community since its closure so it’s wonderful today to celebrate its re-opening with so many of the local artists and residents for whom this building is such a special place.

“The building is also a precious reminder of the area’s history, even more so since the earthquakes devastated many of our city’s lovely older buildings. It’s wonderful to see how carefully the building’s earthquake damage has been repaired and to see people, and its spirit, return to the building.”

Te Whare Roimata Trust Co-ordinator Jenny Smith says, "The opening of the Linwood Community Arts Centre is for us a celebration of rebirth of the building and artists having a place that is a symbol of hope. A lot of buildings were lost in the area and having this one building restored gives local artists and the community a place to flourish. This is about bringing the arts and the community together for regeneration, restoration and moving forward."

Significant repair work, which began in August 2012, has been carried out on the building. This included replacing the roof, repairing cracks in walls, plasterwork and floors and rebuilding the south wall and the building’s four chimneys. The building has been strengthened to 90 per cent of the New Building Standard.

Wherever possible, elements of the original building have been salvaged, stored and reused for the walls and flooring, retaining the internal character of the building. Items such as the doors and tongue-and-groove panelling were removed early in the repair process and placed in storage so they could be put back later on. Parts of the building that were rebuilt were recreated to look like the same as those they have replaced.

The Linwood Community Arts Centre is a Group I/Category II listed heritage building. It opened in 1885 as the Linwood Town Board Offices for the Linwood Borough Council. In 1908, it became the Linwood Public Library and Reading Room. In 1997, the building opened for community use as the Linwood Community Arts Centre, operated by Te Whare Roimata Trust. A number of historic artefacts have been discovered as repairs have been carried out, including cast iron vents, a hidden wall that was part of an old Council safe and pieces of old newspapers.

The repair and strengthening work has been carried out as part of the Council’s Facilities Rebuild Plan Programme. For more information visit www.futurechristchurch.co.nz

ENDS

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