952 days ago

Views sought on Shirley Community Reserve

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

Residents are being asked to share their vision for the future of the Shirley Community Reserve - including whether a community hub should be created, the recreation faciltiies developed, or the site left as it is.

The reserve at 10 Shirley Rd was previously home to the Shirley Community Centre, which hosted various organisations and projects.

The centre was damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes and demolished in 2012. The reserve was then fitted with facilities including a basketball court, playground, pump track and a large green space.

In 2020, feedback from 58 public submitters was split between replacing the old community centre and developing the area into an open green space.

In 2021, the council approved $3 million of funding to rebuild of the Shirley Community Centre and requested an updated feasibility study.

Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board chairperson Emma Norrish said the board wanted to "develop a meaningful, dynamic, and fun space for everyone, so that the reserve becomes a destination of choice for the community".


The community is being asked their opinion on three options for the reserve.

The options are:

- A recreation space with a full basketball court, renewed playground, planting, a picnic and BBQ area, a community garden and a walkway.
- Creating a community hub that's open to partnerships with local organisations.
- Leaving the space as it is.

Visit the council's website to have your say.

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More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?

Do you think you know the answer?

Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.

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3 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.

Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.

For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.

Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?

We hope this brings a smile!

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18 hours ago

Poll: Canterbury is thriving on paper... but are you seeing evidence of Canterbury's improving economy?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

As reported in the Press, Reserve Bank Governor Anna Breman recently gave a shout-out to our region, calling Canterbury a "stand-out" for how we recover from tough times. With tech firms growing and exporters investing, the business side of things is looking bright!

👉 But we know that "business growth" doesn't always mean the weekly shop gets any cheaper. While the city expands, many families feel like they’re just trying to keep their heads above water.

We want to know: With the business buzz of 2026, do you feel like things are finally looking up for your household, or does it still feel like a climb?

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Canterbury is thriving on paper... but are you seeing evidence of Canterbury's improving economy?
  • 21.6% Yes
    21.6% Complete
  • 56.8% No
    56.8% Complete
  • 21.6% In some areas ...
    21.6% Complete
37 votes