Cash shortfall hits Ashburton Event Centre refurbishment
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Wear and tear is starting to show at the Ashburton Events Centre after 16 years in operation, and plans are in place for its revitalisation.
The problem is, the money isn’t.
The event centre opened in 2008 and now needs significant renovations to ensure it remains a state-of-the-art facility for local, national, and international performances.
But since it opened, the Ashburton Performing Arts Theatre Trust has not been setting aside money to fund future purchases of assets - an accounting procedure known as 'funding depreciation'.
The latest audited accounts show an annual depreciation of $143,991, and an accumulated depreciation figure of $2.17m.
Ashburton mayor Neil Brown raised concerns that if the centre’s 15-year-old air conditioning unit failed they wouldn’t have the funds to replace it.
“No-one has been funding the depreciation which has been alerted to over all the time I’ve been on council.
“Council is aware of it but we have still not funded it.”
It will be a consideration in the long-term plan process, he said.
Revitalisation plans, costing an estimated $900,000, include upgrading the speaker system, lighting, technology, and accessibility in the venue.
The trust is requesting the establishment of a capital expenditure account, which will be considered as a long-term plan submission.
The idea is the council would contribute a set amount annually as part of the operational grant to be used for the estimated $182,000 of refurbishments –painting and furnishings.
Outgoing trust chairperson George Brown said the refurbishments would be the most difficult thing to raise money for.
“We felt that maybe we could be asking the council to be helping us with that part of it.
“In effect, it's depreciation. [Depreciation] has never been funded by a council grant and we accepted that, but it does get to the point where we will have to do something over the next five years to get that upgraded.”
The trust, a registered charity, will also be going to the public at large for funding as well as looking at fundraising and grant opportunities, he said.
The upgrades are about future-proofing the centre to maintain it as a modern facility and compete with other venues, centre manager Roger Farr said.
One example is the sound system that “at the moment certainly still works”.
“The issue I see with it is it was second hand when it went in 15-years ago.”
The council grant is $298,860 in the 2023-24 year and the event centre is also asking for a 5% increase to $324,800 in 2024-25, which will also be considered in the long-term plan process.
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Busy six months
The Ashburton Event Centre's six-month report highlighted a continuing trend of increasing use post-Covid, centre manager Roger Farr said.
It had more than 16,500 people through the venue in the July-December 2023 period.
“We are sitting around 75% bums on seats,” Farr said.
Community events made up 62% of the bookings, with 88 in the six months.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.1% Yes
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46.9% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
Poll: Pedestrian access is being extended to the Ōtakaro Avon River - good idea?
Pedestrian access from one of Christchurch’s favourite streets is being extended all the way to the Ōtakaro Avon River. This new 12m-wide pathway will give you a direct, easy route from the street to the river promenade ... perfect for a stroll, a coffee run, or just soaking up the riverside vibes.
We want to know: In your view, what makes a city people-friendly?
What else should our urban areas be doing to support better community connections?
Curious about the full plans? You can check them out here.
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93.3% Yes
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6.7% No
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