The following is the the text of the Historic Place Canterbury Deputation made to the Christchurch City Council Community, Recreation and Culture Committee (CRaC). Historic  Places Canterbury requested that the Committee recommend  the C.C.C. hold a heritage event this year. (The Staff Report on the CRaC Agenda recommended that "Heritage Week" be deferred until next year and that a scaled down Heritage event not be held this year.)

Deputation to the
Community, Recreation and Culture Committee of the Christchurch City Council.
7 May 2013

Deputation by Mark Gerrard, Chair Historic Places Canterbury.

This Deputation covers a number of elements and I have attempted to be succinct and as clear as possible.

1.Heritage Week:

[Agenda PART A 4. HERITAGE WEEK : COMMUNITY, RECREATION AND CULTURE COMMITTEE AGENDa, TUESDAY 7 MAY 2013]

Historic Places Canterbury requests the Community, Recreation and Culture Committee, recommend to the Council that it hold a scaled down heritage week this year and plan for a full Heritage Week next year in 2014.  

The scaled down version presents a positive opportunity to publicly celebrate our heritage and provide a focus on those whose activities are contributing to save and restore what remains of our cultural past and built heritage. In format, this year’s “Heritage Event” could be more passive (without the need for a theme), almost a community focused noticeboard / celebration leveraging on the efforts of a number of groups / individuals who would welcome the chance to publicise and share with Christchurch residents their Heritage passion.

Historic Places Canterbury has been in contact with a number of groups who were part of the scoping study cited in the Staff Report and they have commented they were keen for a Heritage Week or a similar event to be held this year.

One group member explained to us that the N.Z. Family Historical Society when upon hearing last year there was to be no Council Heritage event organised their own very successful expo which resulted in a significant number of new members.

Historic Places Canterbury notes that the Canterbury Heritage Awards were also very successfully conducted last year.

Historic Places Canterbury has spoken to some prominent members of the Vintage Home Restorers and they would be interested in organising a tour or something similar.

We note that there are a number of groups that could benefit by the resulting focused publicity of a Council hosted event - New Regent Street, Ferrymead  Historic  Park, the Vintage Home Restorers, the Arts Centre, Antigua Boat Shed, Curators House (Botanical Gardens) as well as the numerous heritage related societies and groups.

There are others, restoration permitting, The Arts Centre, Heritage “OGB” Hotel, Christ’s College, Edmonds Clock Tower who may be able to provide public tour access [limited] explaining / celebrating the progress of their heritage related activities.

This is also the opportunity for a Council public lecture on the work being done on the Provincial Council Building and Our City, the “old” Linwood “Library”- surely these stories are worth sharing?

Comment: We are perplexed that one of the report’s conclusions is that having our Built Heritage profiled in an event this year will be unsuccessful, at best mediocre with a corresponding negative risk.
Heritage Week has in the past relied extensively on the Community groups, institutions and individual actions and it is unclear whether the report is referring to their efforts or the Council’s ability to co-ordinate a Heritage Week resembling those that occurred pre-quake. Our experience with the owners of heritage buildings that have been restored is that they exhibit an enthusiasm that is almost exuberant and wish to share this and their building with the public.

2. Historic Places Canterbury requests that the Community, Recreation and Culture Committee provide us with a copy of the “Heritage Week” feasibility scoping report conducted by 360º.

3. Historic Places Canterbury requests that when the Council Staff begin to explore the relaunch of Heritage Week 2014 this Committee request they widely consult with the relevant Community groups, institutions individuals and organisations with an interest in the city’s built heritage.

4. Historic Places Canterbury requests that the individuals/groups who were part of the Sutton House Deputation be provided with an update on the progress of retaining this special dwelling which was covenanted with the CCC.

5. As Chair of Historic Places Canterbury as well as an individual I would like to remind this Committee that I have received NO response to the three Deputations I have made to this Committee and its predecessor The Arts and Heritage Committee.

1. a.    2^nd December 2011 - Deputation to the Arts and Heritage Committee-
   (Insurance, incentives for listed building owners)
2. b.    4^th May 2012 - Deputation to the Arts and Heritage Committee.
   (Resource / Building Consent Fees/ Rates waiver for listed buildings, District Plan – adding and removal of heritage buildings, reminder of no response to Insurance deputation etc )
3. c.    2^nd October 2012 - Deputation to the Community Recreation and Culture Committee.
   (Standing Orders/ Committee procedures in regard to Deputations and interaction with other C.C.C. Committees, etc )

Note: re 4^th May 2012 Deputation: A Staff Report was presented to a subsequent Committee Meeting and a motion was passed that I be posted a copy. I have not received a copy of that report!

Thank you for listening to this Deputation.

Mark Gerrard
Chair Historic Places Canterbury
39 Melrose Street
Central City

03 365 4448 or 021 1575 043