Ping Pong tables departing. (In part!)

MEDIA RELEASE

[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE]

Popular Ping Pong tables in Cashel Mall departing: the next phase

After five months of use in the the central city, Gap Filler’s concrete ping pong tables will be moving on. Two of the tables, which have been located at the end of Cashel Mall since December, will be departing, while one will remain until mid-Winter.

A collaboration with the Chinese Cultural Association, the ping pong tables have been part of Gap Filler’s Diverscity: Community Showcase Project. The aim of this phase of the project was to showcase an aspect of Chinese culture to the wider community and bring more life to this part of the city. The first phase of this project involved a collaboration with the Korean Community on a K-Pop karaoke event at the Dance-O-Mat in November, 2016.

The concrete tables, made by local company C Lund & Son, have seen much use in their five months and brought fun, energy and delight to the area. Gap Filler has received considerable positive feedback on the tables with people commenting on the positive, friendly energy they gave the area day and night. Feedback via Facebook has included comments such as: “It was lovely to see two of your table tennis tables in use when I walked past tonight. They brought life to an area that can feel a bit desolate and threatening after dark.” “Every time I go past they are all being used and people are waiting for a game.” “Such fun for all whether watching others play or having a go yourself.”

“We think one of reasons for their success was that there were usually bats and balls with the tables. We included a little shelf under the tables to store them and this made it much easier for people to play. We’ve learned a lot from our projects over the years and when it comes to humans in public space, small things like having to go and borrow bats and balls can be barriers to participation” says Coralie Winn, Gap Filler Co-Founder.

One of the aims of the project was also to test new ways to use our city’s public spaces.

Carolyn Ingles, head of urban design, urban regeneration and heritage at Christchurch City Council was excited to see the high use of the ping pong tables while they were in place. She says, “It’s great to have seen so many people using the tables — kids during the holidays, construction workers during lunch breaks and tourists discovering one more thing that makes Christchurch so special. The tables have proven to be an excellent way to test a temporary intervention in a public space, and to see just how popular and meaningful it can be.”

One table has been given permission to remain in place until June thanks to the City Council. The other two will hopefully be sold to another open space in the city. If interested, please contact Gap Filler.

Interviews with participants in this project such as members of the Chinese Cultural Association and designers can be read on the Gap Filler website. The next phase of the Diverscity: Community Showcase Project will involve working with the Nigerian community to bring large, traditional games to the city. If you are interested in being involved, please contact Gap Filler.

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More info:

Two of the three tables depart tomorrow (Thurs April 27) at 6:30am.

The ping pong tables were in near the Bridge of Remembrance on Oxford Terrace and Cashel Mall place from 10 December 2016 until 27 April 2017. They were made by C Lund & Son with support from SplitN2.

You can read more about our Diverscity project here: http://gapfiller.org.nz/project/community-showcase/

Gap Filler is a non-profit and creative urban regeneration initiative. - www.gapfiller.org.nz

Anyone interested in purchasing a table should contact Gap Filler.

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