28 Aug 2018

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One of New Brighton’s tiny huts is getting a new lease of life at the children’s sensory garden in Rawhiti Domain.

The Sensory Garden is the brainchild of charity SmileDial NZ and is designed to give children, including those with special needs, the chance to explore their senses through interaction with nature.

The #MyBrightonHut, designed by Marike Uys as part of a design competition run by Christchurch City Council’s Enliven Places Programme in 2016, has recently been given a make-over by Citycare Property and SmileDialNZ and installed in the garden.

“When SmileDial – and the many people and companies who helped – created the sensory garden it was always meant to be a gift to the community and for the community to feel they are part of the garden,’’ says SmileDial founder Kelly Dugan.

“Additions such as the tiny hut provide the community with a sense of ownership. It is theirs and they can help it grow and expand. Donations such as the tiny hut ensure the garden is ever changing and each time families come there will be something new and exciting for their children,’’ Mr Dugan says.

The #MyBrightonHut was one of five tiny huts – each measuring just two metres by two metres - that were installed in New Brighton over the 2016/17 summer to temporarily liven up the suburb’s public spaces.

The huts became so popular that the local community voted for them to stay longer.

The Art-o-Mat and Shell Chapel are still in New Brighton and Christchurch City Council gifted Te Wharau, the tiny hut designed by Shirley Boys’ High student Manaia Wilson-Moses, to his school last year.

#MyBrightonHut has been located in New Brighton Mall since December 2016 as a temporary installation and it has been enjoyed by many people. 

When it became time to undertake some maintenance and decide if the hut should stay for longer, Citycare Property supervisor Doug Peek suggested the hut, once spruced up and given a fresh coat of paint, could become a fun addition to SmileDial’s sensory garden.

“I’ve worked on some other small projects for SmileDial so I knew a little about what they are trying to achieve with the Sensory Garden. I thought the hut, because it spins around a bit like a Rubik’s Cube, could be fun for the kids.

“I gave them a call and suggested it to them and they jumped on board straight away. Citycare and the Council have shared the cost of the maintenance work and relocating the hut to the Sensory Garden,’’ Mr Peek says.

Council Head of Urban Design, Regeneration and Heritage Carolyn Ingles is delighted the tiny huts are being put to good use in the community.

“They were initially designed as temporary attractions but the community have really taken them to heart and it is fantastic to see them getting new leases of life,’’ Ms Ingles says.