Aranui celebrates the opening of new community centre

Crowds gathered to celebrate the opening of the new Aranui Wainoni Community Centre, which will provide a place for the local community to once again gather for cultural, recreational and educational activities and events.

The purpose-built centre sits on the site of the demolished Wainoni Aranui Family Centre at 31 Hampshire Street. The 967 square metre building has sports facilities, meeting and office spaces and kitchen facilities. It includes impressive features such as retractable seating, a bamboo sprung floor and indoor and outdoor stages.

The local community played an important role in helping design the $5.9 million centre and many were present at the opening to witness Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Aranui Community Trust (ACTIS) Chair Rob Davidson officially cut the ribbon.

Children from Avondale, Wainoni and Aranui primary schools led the crowd in a waiata before students from the Aranui High School Academy performed a haka and the building was blessed.

Mayor Dalziel said from the two community halls that Aranui and Wainoni had lost as a result of the earthquakes had come a magnificent facility that would be the heart and soul of those communities.

"The spirit of those who brought life to the two halls that preceded it are imbued within these walls and the Aranui community will breathe life into this wonderful facility once more.

"Locals played an important role in helping design the centre and I think they should be proud of the end result. It's been an incredible journey and the centre is a true reflection of the hard work, vision and partnership between a number of groups, organisations and members of the community,"Mayor Dalziel said.

ACTIS will manage the centre in partnership with Christchurch City Council. Speaking at the opening, Mr Davidson, ACTIS Chair, praised all those involved with the project and said over time the centre would become a focal point of activity for the people of Aranui.

"It is important that this wonderful new facility becomes a vital hub of activity in this community in the years to come and I'm confident that will be the case. It is a wonderful building, it holds much promise and I'm confident it will be an outstanding success for the future,'' Mr Davidson said.

A total of $5.9 million was set aside for the facility, including generous contributions from Lions Clubs International Foundation ($450,000) and the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust ($1 million, including $500,000 from an anonymous donor).

"I would like to emphasise our thanks to the community for their help and input into the facility and to our donors, Lions Clubs International and Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust, for their generosity." Mayor Dalziel said. "We are celebrating your generosity today. You have helped bring joy to the lives of many."

"The funding we've been able to provide has been the result of grants from Lions Clubs International Foundation, which is the charitable arm of this world-wide organisation," says Digby Prosser, Lions Clubs International Liasion.

"The Lions Clubs grants are all about community recovery, and as the perfect embodiment of this cause, the new Aranui Wainoni Community Centre has been a major project for us. We're delighted to have played a part in building the new community centre – its opening today is realisation of four years of working closely with the Christchurch City Council and Aranui Community Trust, and the community will benefit from this collaboration for years to come."

ENDS

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