Building may be gifted to community trust

The MacFarlane Park Centre building may be gifted to the Shirley Community Trust for $1 if a Waipapa Papanui-Innes Community Board recommendation is given Christchurch City Council approval.

The building was gifted to Council by the Lions Club International Foundation in 2018. It was shifted from Culverden, North Canterbury to St Albans and then MacFarlane Park where it has since been used by a range of community-based groups.

They include two Filipino churches, a Tongan homework club, pre-schools, Etu Pasifika, Man-Up and Narcotics Anonymous.

It’s one of three community buildings in McFarlane Park – the others are the Play Centre Building, owned by Kidsfirst Kindergarten and the MacFarlane Park Neighbourhood Centre which SCT has owned and operated since 2000.

The SCT manages the centre including all operating costs and made a formal request and supporting proposal for the ownership transfer and a 35-year ground lease. The land would remain in Council ownership.

Said Council Head of Community Support and Partnerships John Filsell: “This would be a win-win situation that provides SCT with certainty and autonomy while freeing up Council maintenance, repair and renewal budgets for other community facilities.

“We want to see more of our community buildings operated through partnership agreements like this which empower and strengthen grassroots organisations such as SCT.”

The centre includes a hall, meeting room, kitchen, store room and bathroom facilities and has a current value of $305,000. If the transfer goes ahead the SCT would assume all responsibility for building maintenance. 

A decision on whether to support the recommendation will be made by Council later this year.