Plan for rostrum in City Mall

Press, 23 September 1988, Page 7

Plan for rostrum in City Mall

By

KAY FORRESTER

The City Mall could sport an amphitheatre similar to that in Victoria Square if a Christchurch council plan to redevelop the mall gets off the ground.

The proposal, still in its preliminary stages, is for an amphitheatre as a focus at the Cashel StreetHigh Street corner of the mall. The council’s deputy general manager (works), Mr Harold SUrtees, confirmed yesterday that the proposal would go to the council’s works and traffic committee on October 5. The council has allocated $500,000 in this year’s budget for redevelopment of the mall. Mr Surtees declined to give a sum for the project or details of the design because the proposal was still in its infancy. It is thought the amphitheatre could be sunken and circular as is the one in front of the new Parkroyal Hotel in Victoria Square and could be roofed or have a

canopy to provide protection from the weather. The project is seen as a co-operative venture between the, council and business which might contribute towards the cost that exceeded the budget allocation. Four large City Mall businesses near the Cashel Street-High Street corner knew nothing of the proposal when ap-. proached by “The Press” yesterday. It had not been discussed with the City Mall Association, said its president, Mr Harvey Bray. Mr Surtees said selected businesses had been approached by the council over a wider area than the immediate mall corner but any negotiations would have to wait for committee endorsement of the project.