Art gallery mooted for Victoria Sq.

Press, 1 December 1988, Page 1

Art gallery mooted for Victoria Sq.

By

KAY FORRESTER

The site at the north-east corner of the Colombo StreetArmagh Street intersection fronting on to Victoria Square — worth about $lO million on the open market — was suggested yesterday as a site for a new civic art gallery. The suggestion came from Mr Alun Wilkie, of the Canterbury branch of the Institute of Architects. He told members of the Christchurch City Council’s cultural and community services committee that the site met the council’s own criteria for a gallery site better than did the Rolleston Avenue youth hostel site some councillors preferred. The hostel site was not close to public transport and the sort of gallery-cum-parking building proposed was incompatible with the surrounding zone. The council officers’ report on the Rolleston Avenue site acknowledged that the site was too small and that extra land would have to be acquired, Mr Wilkie said. The institute believed other sites should be investigated and those studied in 1984 as alternatives should be re-examined. He offered the Victoria Square site in Armagh Street-Colombo Street as a feasible alternative. It had good rear access, parking, and location as well as good potential for the sort of building that could be built. He acknowledged that it was roughly the same size as the hostel site, which was too small, but because of its location it could sustain a multi-storey block that would be incompatible in Rolleston Avenue.

The site was available and had been for months. Mr Wilkie estimated the asking price would be $lO million. Mr Wilkie’s suggestion prompted Cr Alister James to cite the Centennial Pool airspace site and Cr Carole Evans the carpark opposite the Council Chambers in Tuam Street as alternatives. The institute had not carefully examined alternatives, Mr Wilkie said. It had concentrated its submission to the council on opposing the Rolleston Avenue site. Mr lan Miles, the president of the Friends of the McDougall, told councillors that whatever site chosen for a new gallery would be controversial. “You could wait and wait for 10, 50, 100 years for the perfect site. Perhaps the Anglicans would move out of the Cathedral. It is imperative the council acts now. “The Friends have looked at alternatives and we keep coming back to Rolleston Avenue. I urge the council to take some action.” Miss Valerie Heinz, of the Civic Trust, said the trust was preparing an objection to the Rolleston Avenue site. The trust was opposed to the taking of houses to the north or east of the site for the proposed development. The committee opted to defer until next year any decision designating a preferred site for a new gallery. The notice seeking submissions from the public on the site had no closing date. The councillors decided to allow submissions to the end of February and have an in-house councillor briefing in March to be followed by a meeting about the site.