New owners founds for old Ashburton library
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Local property developers have purchased the old Ashburton Public Library.
CBR Properties Limited completed the purchase of the old library site for $1.1 million from the Ashburton District Council on Friday.
The company's directors, Barry and Chris Redmond, could not be reached for comment on Monday.
The building, on the corner of State Highway 1 and Havelock St, was home to the Ashburton library for nearly 60 years and it’s unclear what plans the Redmonds have for the building.
The council had deemed it was not economical to strengthen and upgrade the building, opting instead to incorporate a new modern library with a new administration building.
Te Whare Whakatere, the new library and civic centre, opened earlier this year.
The decision was made to put the old library site up for sale at the end of last year.
Three offers were made but the property was snapped up by the Redmonds.
The developers own the property next door - 241 West St Ashburton – which they had planned to redevelop in 2017 but were halted by the Peter Cates grain store being a heritage-listed building.
The Redmonds also own the arcade in central Ashburton as well as several other sites.
Last year they completed the redevelopment of what had been a two-storey building on East St that was once home to Ashburton's oldest café, Reflections.
It was demolished to make way for a modern single-storey building.
New Zealand Bed Company has moved to one side of the new building.
The council planned to use the funds from the sale of the old library to be put towards paying off the construction of Te Whare Whakatere, the new library and civic centre, offsetting the impact on ratepayers.
Initially budgeted at $56.7m, before its completion the council signaled an overrun in the region of 10%. The final tally is yet to be confirmed.
The project also received $20m from the government’s shovel-ready infrastructure fund.
The council also planned to sell the old administration building site, but council chief executive Hamish Riach said a decision on that had not yet been made.
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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53.5% Yes
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46.5% 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
Turn Wallpaper Scraps into Beautiful Blossoms
These blossoms made from Resene wallpaper left over after decorating will mean your décor will be blooming gorgeous, no matter the season. Find out how to create your own wallpaper flowers with these easy step by step instructions.
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