| 15 DEVELOPMENT Selwyn District Council: Te Ara Ātea Te Ara Ātea makes its mark in Selwyn Kim Newth Te Ara Ātea has been planned and designed as the new manawa – the heart and soul – of Rolleston. Selwyn residents have a wonderful new space where they can come together as a community to learn and connect with one another. Called Te Ara Ātea, the new 2200sqm multi-functional civic centre on Tennyson Street in Rolleston opened on 2 December 2021. Rolleston’s town centre is undergoing a transformation in response to ongoing fast growth in the district with this latest $22.69 million project leading the way on vibrant community development. In the year to June 2021, Selwyn saw the largest population growth in the motu with the number of new residents outstripping the country’s largest cities. Te Ara Ātea has been planned and designed as the new manawa – the heart and soul – of Rolleston and the wider district. Te Ara Ātea means ‘the unobstructed trail to the world and beyond’, the name having been gifted to the community by Te Taumutu Rūnanga which worked in partnership with the Selwyn District Council on this project. Over summer, there is plenty to explore in the changing heart of Rolleston, starting with the area around Te Ara Ātea where there are sensory landscaping features (including outdoor instruments, a musical walk and water features), food gardens, sculptures and local art. Nine local schools were involved in creating feature poles and decorative mosaic tiles for this colourful area that stimulates all the senses. Designed by Warren and Mahoney and built by Armitage Williams, with internal layout and design by Wellington exhibition and experience design agency Workshop e, Te Ara Ātea is an open invitation to Selwyn residents to explore, create and discover. The two-floor layout includes a well-resourced modern library; a treasure box of local history and nationally significant taonga (Te Waka huia); a space for performing arts, exhibitions and events (Te whare tapere); a craft and creative space equipped with the latest technology including 3D printers, robotics, games and music equipment (Wāhi Auaha); and a workshop space to create and construct with tools and machinery (Wāhi Waihaka). Community rooms are available for events and group meetings. Among many highlights is a video projection wall that is the largest in the country. Mayor Sam Broughton describes the opening of Te Ara Ātea as exciting for the district, noting that it represents the culmination of seven years of planning. “The unique and rich experiences contained in this space tell our collective stories – a marker of where we’ve been and our shared journey towards the future,” he says. Te Taumutu Rūnanga Chairperson Liz Brown has praised the new facility as being a true testament to the vision and dedication of many and welcomes it as a celebration of the district’s shared heritage and a vehicle for forging new trails. “Te Ara Ātea is an example of partnership in action,” she says. “Working hand in hand with council, we have created a facility that celebrates the best of both worlds and recognises the strength of working together for our communities.” Functioning as a home for the arts in Selwyn, Te Ara Ātea was launched in style with four major visual artworks from prominent Canterbury artists Hannah Beehre, Areta Wilkinson and Mark Adams, Piri Cowie and Nathan Pohio. A stimulating and engaging programme of events and workshops is available at Te Ara Ātea in 2022. (Check out Selwyn Libraries ‘What’s on’ page). Poised to further enliven Tennyson Street as part of the ongoing Rolleston town centre revamp is a private development called Rolleston Fields that will feature a retail precinct, bars and eateries, a covered weekend farmers market, food hall, health and wellness offerings, and an entertainment and cinema complex, all surrounding a town square. Work on the new town centre, located on the site of the existing Rolleston Reserve, began in 2020 and will be built in stages over coming years. Other community spaces planned include an amphitheatre, youth zone and refreshed park area in the remainder of Rolleston Reserve. 88 College Hill, Freemans Bay, Auckland Izzard Design is a leading interior design studio based in Auckland, New Zealand. Each project is defined by a diligent attention to detail and innovative design. Meticulous curation of materials and furniture are hallmarks of the studio’s considered style, flowing from one room to the next. +64 (09) 379 8884 www.izzard.co.nz CANTERBURY’S FIRST CALL FOR CONCRETE SERVICES Contact us for: Concrete placing | Finishing services | House foundations Shed floorslabs |Concretepreparation|Boxingservices | Driveways|Patios|Paths GET IN TOUCH FOR A FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTE CALL NOW ON: 027 849 7133 WWW. JCBCONTRACTING .CO.NZ
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