Design approved for Shirley Community Facility
Christchurch City Council Newsline: 17th December 2025
Plans for a new Community Facility at Shirley Reserve have been approved by the local Community Board.
The former Community Centre at 10 Shirley Road was damaged by the Canterbury earthquakes and demolished in 2012.
Previously, the centre was home to a number or organisations and programmes that contributed towards community connectivity.
Following demolition of the building, community activity and demand shifted away from the reserve. The reserve was fitted with recreational facilities including a basketball court, playground, pump track and green space in its place.
At their 11 December meeting, the Waipapa Papanui-Innes Central Community Board approved the design for the new facility to be built. The 280 square-metre building will include a function room, a kitchen, office space, two meeting rooms, external public toilets, and on-site parking.
Community Board Chair Dr Sunita Gautam says the former centre holds a lot of significance for the Shirley community, and it’s fantastic to have the history of the site recognised with a new facility.
“We want to make sure the reserve continues to be a space where the community can come together, and we know there’s strong local interest in having a facility, so we’re excited about this progress,” Dr Gautam says.
“We’d also like to acknowledge the work of the community to get to this point, particularly the Shirley Working Group, and thank them for their contribution towards the project.”