Christchurch Art Gallery set for December reopening

Following confusion over the completion date for the $56.7 million repair project being undetaken at the Christchurch Art Gallery, it has been confirmed that the Canterbury landmark will reopen to the public on 19th December.

Contractor Fulton Hogan is planning to complete the project on 11th December in time for the handover.

Uncertainty over the completion date for the project had emerged earlier this month with unions expressing safety concerns over works at the Gallery and a Christchurch City Council report saying that the earthquake-damaged attraction would not open until the first quarter of 2016.

Closed since the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the repair project has included the strengthening of the Buchan Group-designed art gallery.

Designed to deal with seismic events, the Gallery's foundation, a concrete raft slab that sits on the surface of the ground, evenly distributes earthquake forces. However, this did not prevent considerable damage in the in the 6.3 magnitude quake of February 2011.

Artworks are expected to be installed in the gallery in September, once a climate control system has been running for 10 days. While the main gallery will be business as usual from December, the facility’s underground car park will still be closed, as will the gallery shop and café.

Looking forward to the reopening, Gallery Director Jenny Harper stated "I'm quite certain my team will work around the clock to make sure the gallery is ready for the people of Christchurch before the main Christmas season."

With a summer of art events planned, Harper added "I've had a screen saver on my computer saying 'desperate to open' for almost five years. It's too long."

The Christchurch Art Gallery building was used as Civil Defence headquarters for Christchurch following the 2010 Canterbury earthquake, and again after the February 2011 event.

For more information go to www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz/

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