15 December 2014

Wanted: catchy name

People with creative ideas are being asked to help the Christchurch City Council come up with one element missing from the new Halswell library, pool and community facility – the name.

Construction on the new facility, which will act as a permanent touchstone for the growing Halswell community, is currently underway at the Halswell Aquatic Centre site. David Adamson, Director Council Facilities and Infrastructure Rebuild, says the facility’s November 2015 opening date is fast approaching and that one important feature is still missing.

“The official name for the facility is one of the last aspects to fall into place. We’ve been trying to think of something catchy that will capture all the different elements that will be offered – the library, the pool, the customer service desk, the café and the community meeting rooms – but the perfect name has eluded us so far.

“There’s no shortage of people in Christchurch with outside-the-box points of view, so we thought we’d take it public. We held a competition earlier in the year to find names for our 13 new cycleways, with great results. We all had a great time sorting through the suggestions – inspiring, amusing, or both – and running the same type of crowd-sourcing campaign for this facility seems like a no-brainer.”

The competition runs from Monday 15 December – Sunday 18 January. Submissions can be made online at www.ccc.govt.nz/YouNameIt, and paper forms are available at Christchurch City Libraries and Recreation and Sports facilities. The best suggestions will then be voted on by the public and an ultimate winner announced in March 2015.

“There’s a certain appeal to having your suggestion quite literally put up in lights for generations to come,” Mr Adamson says. “Making a permanent contribution to the city like that – going down in Christchurch history – is quite the reward in itself, but there’ll also be a family pass to any Council pool for the winning entry.”

The facility incorporates the existing pool alongside a 3000 square metre building housing the other services. Funding of $22.9 million was earmarked for the complex in the Council’s 2009–2019 Long Term Council Community Plan. This figure includes land purchases, fit-out, professional and consent fees. The physical construction budget is approximately $16 million. The existing library, built in 1968, is located in an older building and is too small for present community needs. The building's future has not yet been decided.

To enter the competition or for more information on the facility, please visit www.ccc.govt.nz/YouNameIt or www.futurechristchurch.co.nz

ENDS

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