New Heathcote community centre 'beautiful'

Heathcote’s new community centre is hitting the right note with local residents.

“As soon as you walk in, you can see elements of the community’s ideas all around you, and that comes down to the Council really listening and making sure that the end result is fit for purpose,’’ says Jackie Maurice, of the Heathcote Valley Community Association.

“This beautiful building is a welcome addition to the raft of really great facilities in the Heathcote Valley, and it’s the result of our community working together to determine what’s important to us.’’

Officially opened on Wednesday, the new community centre on Bridle Path Rd was designed by JTB Architects and built by Watts & Hughes Construction Limited.

It has space for community gatherings but also accommodates the Heathcote Voluntary Library.

Before the earthquake the Heathcote Voluntary Library was based in Martindales Rd but the library building had to be demolished after the earthquakes because of the level of damage it sustained.

The original Heathcote Community Centre also had to be demolished.

“It made sense when we were planning replacement facilities to bring the community centre and library together under one roof and we could not be happier with the end result,’’ said Christchurch City Council Capital Delivery (Community) Manager Darren Moses.

“The response from residents’ who have visited the centre has been overwhelmingly positive and we’re sure it is going to become a well-used and much-loved facility,’’ Mr Moses said.