New Visitor Centre for Christchurch Botanic Gardens

A new multi-purpose visitor centre is set to add an exciting dimension to Christchurch's Botanic Gardens, following a recent Christchurch City Council decision.

Leighs Construction will build the new visitor and staff facilities on the current nursery site at the Gardens, with Mayor Bob Parker announcing "the new building will be stunning and a wonderful addition to our City. It will enhance our ability to reach out to visitors and provide Botanic Gardens staff with much-needed facilities.

"The Botanic Gardens are one of New Zealand's most beautiful public spaces, with more than a million visits made each year by locals and tourists. For many of us, the Gardens were a sanctuary during the quakes and remain a restorative environment during times of stress."

Designed by leading architects, Patterson Associates, the centre will be an improved destination for Christchurch residents and visitors with engaging displays and exhibitions, a hub for meetings and a café for enjoying the surroundings at leisure. The Centre will also house glasshouses, a nursery, offices, a herbarium and a library.

Mayor Parker says the Centre will enhance the Gardens' world-class reputation and provide the community with the chance to enjoy a coffee with family or friends in a stylish, serene setting. At present, the tea kiosk in the Gardens is closed and staff facilities do not meet the current building code.

The centre will see currently inaccessible lawn and riverbank areas opened up for people to enjoy, says City Environments General Manager Jane Parfitt, adding "it's the 150th anniversary of the Botanic Gardens in 2013 and we're hoping to complete the centre by December next year so we can open it as part of the celebrations."

Pattersons won a concept design competition in 2009, with the selection panel admiring the simplicity and clarity of the proposal. The Council approved the project, with a budget of $10.3 million, as part of its 2009-19 Long Term Council Community Plan.

After earthquake-related delays, expressions of interest to construct the Visitor Centre were sought in March 2012 and three tenders for the project were received in September 2012.

The cost of the project has increased since the budget was approved in 2009 and it is now estimated at $16.4 million. Since the earthquakes, changes have been made to the steel structural elements and foundations of the building to meet the revised building code. Other reasons for the cost increase include increases across all labour and material rates in the post-earthquake construction market. Environmentally-friendly bio-gas fuel has been added to the project at an increased cost but it is expected to pay for itself within five years through lower running costs.

The Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre project aligns with the Council's vision of Christchurch Botanic Gardens becoming a world-class attraction. More than a million visits a year are made to the Botanic Gardens by tourists and locals. At present, staff facilities do not meet the current building code and the tea kiosk in the Gardens is closed.

What facilities will the new visitor centre provide?

The new visitor centre will be an improved destination for Christchurch residents and visitors, providing seasonal, interactive and fun information about the Botanic Gardens, a hub for meeting, and a centre for science, research and education. It will include:

• A multi-function seminar/education room
• Interactive displays of the Botanical collection
• Nursery facilities with greenhouses
• A café
• Potting areas
• A herbarium
• A library/archive area
• Staff spaces
• Equipment and maintenance storage areas.

The Centre will open out onto a new lawn area and onto the banks of the Avon River, which are currently inaccessible. This new open area can be used for markets, performances, sculpture exhibitions and picnics.

Enhancing the Botanic Gardens

The new Centre will enhance the Botanic Garden's ability to undertake research, conservation and educational activities, as well as display the wonders of the botanical world. The vision for the Christchurch Botanic Gardens is that they will be at the forefront of presenting the treasures of the plant world to the community. The new Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre will reach out to visitors with engaging displays and exhibitions and provide Botanic Gardens staff with the facilities they need to do the job to the best of their ability. The nursery area, where plants are grown for the grounds and conservatories, will come into full view for the first time. The reference library and herbarium, which are important for research and education, will also be revealed.

For details go to http://www.ccc.govt.nz/thecouncil/councilfacilities/index.aspx