Tag: Media Release

Historic Places Canterbury / Christchurch Civic Trust Media Release “Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library”

Media Release: Demolition of the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library
Monday 14th February 2022

From Historic Places Canterbury and the Christchurch Civic Trust

"Historic Places Canterbury and the Christchurch Civic Trust call upon the Christchurch City Council to abandon its decision to demolish The Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library."

Background:
The Christchurch City Council (CCC) decided at the 10th February meeting to take over the ownership and demolish the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library. The Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library dating back to 1919 is the first of seven built to commemorate the fallen of World War One. (The Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library consists of the Library and the Annex.)

Historic Places Canterbury (HPC) Chair Mark Gerrard:
"It is a shock the Christchurch City Council (CCC) decided to demolish the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library, dedicated to the fallen of World War One, without extensive consultation with the community and heritage/interested stakeholders.

"The Report does not contain or refer to any type of heritage assessment of the Memorial Library by the CCC Heritage Team.
"The CCC should have shown leadership and had the Heritage Team formally assess the building(s) suitability to be protected by scheduling on the District Plan.

"The Council's "Our Heritage, Our Taonga" Strategy Executive Summary states "...We work together to recognise, protect and celebrate our heritage, ..." Surely this is a case where the Council and its Staff should have made an effort, to honour its own Heritage Strategy and decided to retain the building.

"A copy of the DEE (Detail Engineering Evaluation) was not attached to the report. For transparency it should have been included so it could be peer reviewed.

"Historic Places Canterbury considers the Upper Riccarton Memorial Library to be a living social link to an extremely significant  event in our past which should be preserved for our future generations.

Christchurch Civic Trust Chair Ross Gray:
"It is distressing the CCC did not actively reach out and seek an alternative for this much loved local iconic building which has a significant social history.

"This Memorial Library has stood for more than 100 years as a symbol to the fallen of World War One.  It was the first of seven such libraries. The CCC should show moral leadership and recognise this building is special by retaining it.

"I cannot find any reference to the CCC "Our Heritage Strategy, Our Taonga" (under Criteria for Retaining Council Property) in the report to the Council Meeting.
"Why was the CCC's Heritage Strategy "Our Heritage ,Our Taonga" not considered in the Report?

"The Residents of Christchurch might question why they spent time and effort submitting on "Our Heritage, Our Taonga" strategy, when in this case, it appears not to have been taken seriously by the Council and its Staff.

Dame Anna Crighton: 
‘What is wrong with the current generation who seem to be hell bent on erasing memories of our past?  This memorial exists to commemorate and honour those Cantabrians who died in World War 1. It is a tangible reminder of that sacrifice. 

‘Whaka- aturia nga mahi a o koutou tupuna hei raukura ma nga uri whaka- tupu.  Bring to light the achievements of your ancestors, gifts handed down through the generations to be handed on to the descendants yet unborn”.

Mark Gerrard
Chair Historic Places Canterbury

Ross Gray
Chair Christchurch Civic Trust

“Five New Appointments For Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Board And Māori Heritage Council” Ministry of Culture and Heritage Media Release (23.12.2021)

Five new members have been appointed to the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT) Board and Māori Heritage Council.

Katharine Watson of Christchurch is an archaeologist at Watson Archaeology Ltd and is currently completing her PhD at the University of Canterbury. Katharine will join the HNZPT Board.

James Blackburne of Gisborne is an architect with great experience in heritage restoration. He has been involved in a number of heritage restorations that include several marae. James will join the HNZPT Board.

Puawai Cairns (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pukenga and Ngāi Te Rangi) is the Director of Audience and Insights at Te Papa Tongarewa and was previously the museum’s Head of Mātauranga Māori. Puawai will conjointly serve on the HNZPT Board and the Māori Heritage Council.

Tom Roa (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato) is a Tainui leader and Associate Professor in the University of Waikato’s Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies. Tom is skilled in Māori translation and interpretation and was a founder of the Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori movement. Tom will join the Maōri Heritage Council.

Ruth Smith (Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou and Rongowhakaata) is a translator and interpreter for Maioha Consulting Ltd and has had an extensive career in translations. Ruth has a background in education and media, and has previously worked as a reporter and journalist for Māori television. Ruth will join the Māori Heritage Council.

Outgoing members of the HNZPT Board include Bryce Barnett, who has served the Board since 2017, Kim Ngarimu, who has served the Board and Council since 2014, and David Nicoll, who has served the Board since 2017 and resigned in October 2021.

Outgoing members of the Māori Heritage Council include Paul White, who has served on the Council since 2017, and Dame Naida Glavish, who has served the Board and Council since 2011 before shifting to her standalone role on the Council from 2017.

Manatū Taonga thanks the outgoing members for their significant contributions and years of dedicated service on the Board and Council.

HNZPT is an autonomous Crown Entity leading work relating to the care, integrity and protection of national and historical heritage in New Zealand. The Māori Heritage Council assists HNZPT in developing and reflecting a bicultural view in the exercise of its powers and functions. Council members advocate the interests of Pouhere Taonga in relation to Māori heritage at any public or Māori forum.

Media Release sourced from Scoop.

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“Heritage New Zealand seeks stories of queer heritage” HNZPT Media Release (24:08:2021)

New Zealand Heritage Pouhere Taonga is proud to announce the Rainbow List Project as part of its work to diversify the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT) has begun work in recognising the LGBTTFQI+ stories of many of its listed sites, starting with 288 Cuba Street in Wellington, once the home of transgender icon Carmen Rupe’s antique shop - Carmen’s Curios, List No. 5348.

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Kiwi duo goes live on ground-breaking Time Team project (HNZPT Media Release)

September 22

MEDIA RELEASE

Kiwi duo goes live on ground-breaking Time Team project

This week the Bay of Plenty is going live to the world on a special online version of Time Team as Waihi Beach-based archaeologist and conservator Brigid Gallagher – together with partner Raysan Al-Kubaisi, who is an architect, buildings adviser and head of graphics creating some of the programme’s 3D reconstructions and animations – take part in an excavation , virtually, of a Roman villa site at Broughton Estate, Oxfordshire. The estate is the seat of the Fiennes family.

The duo, working within the wider Time Team whānau, will play a key role in the work of the excavation as it unfolds on September 23-26. 

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“Loss of Heritage EQUIP funding a blow” Historic Places Aotearoa / ICOMOS Media Release

The Government’s decision to discontinue funding for seismic strengthening of heritage buildings is a serious setback for owners, Historic Places Aotearoa president James Blackburne said today.
The decision not to extend Heritage EQUIP (Earthquake Upgrade Incentive Programme) funding past the end of June 2021 slipped through in the May Budget without arousing any media comment. “This cut is a major blow to heritage preservation as the fund had been making extremely worthwhile grants towards seismic strengthening of heritage buildings as required by the Building (Earthquake Prone Buildings) Amendment Act, 2016,” Mr Blackburne said.

ICOMOS NZ Chairperson, Pamela Dziwulska, agrees with HPA – “it’s an incredibly sad loss for built heritage in Aotearoa – buildings are at the forefront of everybody’s day to day experiences of their town centres, cities, and even rural settings. ....
Adaptation, using the right expertise, makes the most sense if the goal is to be sustainable and meet climate change targets. The government put these time limits on building owners who are acting as the kaitiaki, but have now taken away one of their main sources of monetary aid in order to protect and maintain Aotearoa’s cultural heritage for future generations.”

HPA executive member and Whanganui district councillor Helen Craig said Heritage EQUIP was revolutionary in that it funded private owners of buildings.
“It was one of the most effective, best-run and most-responsive funding mechanism I’ve seen.

The Media Release can downloaded at the following link:

Media-release-re-Heritage-EQUIP-2021-08-11Download

“Artist Bill Sutton’s house opens to the public” Media Release

Sutton Heritage House and Garden,
20 Templar Street, Richmond.
Open 2–4.30pm, Sunday 7 March 2021.
Entry is by koha.

MEDIA RELEASE

Artist Bill Sutton’s house opens to the public

The home of Bill Sutton, one of Canterbury’s best known painters, will open to the public for the first time on Sunday 7 March. A decade on from the Christchurch earthquakes, and 21 years after Sutton’s death, the Sutton Heritage House and Garden will be offered as an artist’s residence and studio in conjunction with Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū and the Ilam School of Fine Arts. When not in use by visiting artists, it will be available for visits by the public, community talks, seminars, workshops and art exhibitions.

The opening of the Sutton Heritage House and Garden is the realisation of the vision of former owner, Neil Roberts, who purchased the house following the artist’s death to ensure its preservation and with the intention of gifting it to the city for use as an artist’s residency. Following the 2011 earthquakes, Roberts’ plan was frustrated by the red-zoning of the section of Richmond where the house is located at 20 Templar Street. Roberts had no choice but to sell the property to the Crown but, following several years of uncertainty, and aided by the powerful advocacy of Dame Ann Hercus, an agreement was reached to retain the house and garden and designate the adjacent land as Sutton Park. 

The Sutton Heritage House and Garden Charitable Trust was formed in 2018 to administer the house; ownership of the house and associated land was transferred to Christchurch City Council in 2020. Having suffered minor earthquake damage, the house has been fully restored with only minor adaptations required to allow for public use. 

Sutton’s house and studio was designed for the artist by his friend and colleague at the School of Fine Arts, Tom Taylor. Completed in 1963, it is a notable example of mid 20th-century modern design and a rare example of a house designed to meet an artist’s specific requirements. It includes a large, north-facing studio where Sutton painted many of the works for which he is so well known. The rambling garden reflects Sutton’s philosophy of ‘nature knows best’.

Members of the public are invited to view the house and garden on Sunday 7 March, 2–4.30pm, following an opening ceremony by Mayor Lianne Dalziel. Entry is by koha. Because of the small size of the house and garden, numbers will be restricted to a maximum of 40 persons within the house at any one time.

Sutton Heritage House and Garden, 20 Templar Street, Richmond. Open 2–4.30pm, Sunday 7 March 2021.

“RMA to be repealed and replaced” Hon David Parker M.P. Minister for the Ministry for the Environment Manatū Mō Te Taiao Media Release

"...The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) will be repealed and replaced with new laws this parliamentary term, Environment Minister David Parker confirmed today.  

"...The three new Acts will be the: 

  • Natural and Built Environments Act (NBA) to provide for land use and environmental regulation (this would be the primary replacement for the RMA)
  • Strategic Planning Act (SPA) to integrate with other legislation relevant to development, and require long-term regional spatial strategies
  • Climate Change Adaptation Act (CAA) to address complex issues associated with managed retreat and funding and financing adaptation. 

“Planning processes will be simplified and costs and times reduced,” he said. 

"... Other key changes include stronger national direction and one single combined plan per region. And there will be more focus on natural environmental outcomes and less on subjective amenity matters that favour the status quo. Better urban design will be pursued. 

Under the NBA there will be a mandatory set of national policies and standards to support the natural environmental limits, outcomes and targets specified in the new law. These will be incorporated into combined regional plans prepared by local and central government and mana whenua.  

“The existing 100-plus RMA council planning documents will be reduced to about 14.”

These changes will build on the National Policy Statement for Urban Development released last year that directs councils to make room for growth both ‘up’ and ‘out’.

David Parker said the National and Built Environments Act, as the core piece of legislation replacing the RMA, will be progressed first. 

“Given its significance and complexity, a special select committee inquiry will consider an exposure draft of the NBA Bill from mid-year. This will include the most important elements of the legislation, including the replacement of Part 2 of the RMA.

“I expect that the complete NBA and the SPA will be formally introduced into Parliament by the end of 2021, with the NBA passed by the end of 2022,” he said. 

The Government is delivering on its promise to reform the Resource Management system based on the comprehensive review carried out last year.

The Media Release is as follows:

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“Where Are The Heritage Policies? – HPA” Historic Places Aotearoa Media Release (04:10:2020)

The lack of heritage policies in party manifestos a fortnight from the country’s General Election is disappointing, says the country’s independent voice for heritage Historic Places Aotearoa.

President James Blackburne says that, to date, only the Greens and New Zealand First have released a heritage-related policy.

“The other parties have either not formed a policy or are yet to present one. We find this extremely disappointing.

“Heritage is an intrinsic part of our country and the communities within it. It makes us who we are and makes us unique globally.

“With potential changes to the Resource Management Act looming, we are conscious and concerned that heritage will take a back seat,” he said.

“Heritage has an economic value for the New Zealand economy. New Zealand is not just about clean and green. Heritage is what a lot of people come to see and is an important part of domestic and international tourism. Heritage tourism visitors not only stay longer, they spend more money.”

Historic Places Aotearoa, which represents member organisations around the country, believes heritage should be visible, valued, indispensable and protected.

“We would like to see the parties offer the VIP treatment for heritage with funding and support for key public initiatives including a national heritage plaques programme, heritage awards and festivals.

“We believe funding should be boosted for key government initiatives such as Heritage Equip support to private building owners, Lotteries grants and tax incentives for heritage projects, and for the heritage team itself at the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.”

Mr Blackburne said heritage agencies needed support with heritage prioritised for protection, planning and funding via local and central government.

“We need to create an environment where heritage becomes indispensable to the economic and social wellbeing of our communities. And we need strong legislation to protect privately and publicly owned heritage sites, as well as making provisions for sympathetic new development in character areas.

“Let’s hear what the parties are offering… and fast.”

“Let the good times roll – Heritage wallpaper collection now online”HNZPT Media Release

September 1

MEDIA RELEASE

The Bloom Blunt Umbrella – one of the beautifully made and locally designed gifts and homewares inspired by the wallpaper collection. 

Let the good times roll – Heritage wallpaper collection now online

One of the largest collections of historic wallpapers in the Southern Hemisphere – and the first Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga collection to be made available online – will go live today (September 1). 

Over 650 samples of heritage wallpaper spanning from the 1870s through to the 1970s will be made available through the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga website, enabling people from all over the country – and world – to browse the unique collection at the click of a mouse. 

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“Wellington Central Library proposed for heritage recognition” (Submissions Being Sought) HNZPT Media Release

“We really want to hear what people think about Wellington Central Library,” says Director Central Region, Jamie Jacobs.
“If it is given Category 1 recognition it will be the first heritage place listed from the 1990s.”
“In terms of architecture alone, the library is significant as an authentic example of postmodern architecture,” says Dr Jacobs.

The listing report is available to read at www.heritage.org.nz, with public submissions welcome until 13 October.

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