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Last modified: 14 Jul 2021 11:41am

The front of the Rolleston Community Centre

The Council is calling for expressions of interest from community organisations, to bring a new community arts focus to Rolleston Community Centre from early 2022.

Community groups and individuals are being invited to submit proposals for bookings for community activities that could include music, dance, crafts, theatre, and art, using the various spaces at the community centre.

“These are exciting times for Rolleston and the wider Selwyn district,” says Denise Kidd, Group Manager Community Services and Facilities.

“With a growing population and the opening of new facilities such as the Selwyn Sports Centre and Te Ara Ātea, many clubs and community groups are moving into different spaces. This opens up new opportunities for the Rolleston Community Centre.

“A recent needs analysis clearly identified a demand for more community arts space, so we are keen to see this space used to meet community needs that are not well served by the other spaces in the area at the moment.”

Selwyn Sports Centre is rapidly developing as a hub for sport and recreation in Selwyn, while Te Ara Ātea will play a major role along with other libraries across district, in supporting culture, heritage, one-off arts exhibitions and events, as well as lifelong learning.

It is anticipated that Rolleston Community Centre will still be available for bookings for community and social gatherings and will still be popular as one of the few Rolleston facilities that can host larger events.

The current Rolleston Library services located within the community centre will transfer to Te Ara Ātea when it opens in November 2021.

“We’re excited by the opportunities that this change presents, and the chance that it gives the community to make use of these spaces in creative and innovative new ways.

“We recognise that the population of young people in Selwyn is growing, and catering for this group is an important part of the centre’s evolution as a community arts space.

“It also means groups that may not have been able to book the centre in the past will now have opportunities to use the facility.”

For the remainder of 2021, spaces will continue to operate as they has done over the past few years—although there are more booking spaces available.

Anyone interested in using the centre between now and the end of the year, should get in touch with the centre to find out more.

Expressions of Interest for the use of spaces in the centre from early 2022 open from Monday 12 July and will remain open until Sunday 15 August. Forms are available from Rolleston Community Centre or any enquiries can be emailed to martine.hearfield@selwyn.govt.nz or people can phone 3472949.

“We really do want to hear from groups, clubs and organisations with their own ideas and plans for bringing arts and youth activities into this space,” Mrs Kidd says.

“I’d encourage anyone who’s interested in this opportunity to visit the centre, talk to the staff there about your needs, and find out what the options may be for meeting those.”

The Council expects to make decisions on the future use of the centre from early October 2021.  It is unlikely that any one group will have exclusive use of a space, due to the expected level of community demand.