Fighting for our Arts Centre

The news of the proposal by the University of Canterbury to use ratepayer funding facilities to build a music “conservatorium” on publicly owned land at our Arts Centre broke in the middle of 2009 to the horror of many Christchurch people. The three proponents of the scheme, the University, the Arts Centre Trust Board and our City Council had kept their plan very quiet until it was announced by the Vice Chancellor, Dr Rob Carr, as a “done deal".

Opposition was swift to appear. The intention of the planners to achieve their aims without any public consultation was quickly foiled and the City Council found it expedient to announce a public hearing on the proposal but ONLY on the funding issue. In spite of strenuous opposition from many community groups and individuals, the funding was eventually approved by the City Councillors, 7-6 votes in favour.

The opposition is based on three connecting factors.

1. The size and appearance of the new “conservatorium” – wrong building for the wrong purpose on the wrong site. Also the resulting split in educational facilities for the music students will not, according to educational experts, benefit those students.

2. The heritage factor. The Arts Centre buildings are a wonderful and unique group of stone Gothic Revival buildings, internationally famous and dearly loved by Christchurch residents. To introduce a new building of incompatible style and scale will not only spoil the site for our enjoyment but will also effectively stop any chance of having the Arts Centre declared a World Heritage Site.

3. The future of the Arts Centre – perhaps the most worrying. The Arts Centre Trust Board has applied for resource consent to re-survey the entire Arts Centre block. The new survey is designed to produce two lots containing the car park in one and the empty market square in the other. These two lots, free of any heritage buildings, could, under the city plan, then be used for “development” - sale or lease. That the university has further plans to re colonise the Arts Centre is no secret – we believe it has first call on any space that becomes vacant. What plans the Arts Centre Trust Board and the University have for the future of new lots remain under wraps. But we fear it could mean the end of our Arts Centre as we know it.

Visit www.soac.org.nz for further information.