The Star: October 11, 2018

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• By Julia Evans
THE CENTRAL city will
once again have a library when
Turanga opens tomorrow.
The mammoth $92 million
building on the corner of
Colombo and Gloucester Sts
will be the largest library in the
South Island – a third larger
than the former central city
library, which was closed following
the February 22, 2011,
earthquake.
The city council has a long
weekend of celebrations
planned including special
walk-throughs of the building,
food trucks and live music.
It will be live-streamed on
YouTube from noon.
Head of libraries and
information Carolyn
Robertson said people can
expect to be blown away by
what they find.
“We deliberately haven’t
given too much away in the
lead-up because we want people
to walk through the doors
and experience that wow-factor
for the first time.”
“The technology is amazing,
the interior of the building
itself is stunning, and the cultural
art on display throughout
is wonderful. It’s all in all an
incredible experience, and we
can’t wait to see the look on
people’s faces as they discover
it for themselves.”
Visitors will be able to
choose from either a full 45min
tour through all five floors of
Tūranga, or a shorter 15min
tour covering just the ground
and first floors.
The Star recently revealed
the project is at least $500,000
under budget.
The library will feature
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
New library opens tomorrow
TECHNOLOGY: The touch wall is an integral feature of
the new central city library (Turanga).
about 100 computers, a
state-of-the-art digital touch
wall, 3-D and laser printers,
a playground, a cafe, more
than 175,000 books and 70 new
staff.
Tūranga’s weekday opening
hours will be from 9am to
8pm, though the ground floor
will be open from 8am. It will
be open from 10am to 5pm on
the weekend.
•Lianne Dalziel’s column,
p30
• By Sophie Cornish
A GROUP of young skateboarders
are terrorising central city
businesses and randomly beating
people up on the streets.
Hereford St businesses, Robert
Harris, Hachi Hachi,
Ibis Hotel, Pita Pit and
Burgerfuel say they
have on-going issues
with youths displaying
anti-social behaviour
outside their premises.
A 21-year-old man
(right), who didn’t
want to be named,
told The Star he was
assaulted by the group
earlier this month,
when he was sitting in Cathedral
Square. He received a black eye,
split lip and broken glasses.
The victim was also told during
the assault, “you don’t know who
we are.”
Hachi Hachi employee Patina
Hu said the issue with the youths
has been on-going for three
months.
Ms Hu and other employees
have received verbal abuse from
the skateboarders both while they
are working and walking to and
from work. They have also tipped
Thursday October 11 2018
Fire rages, homes at risk
Skateboarders
terrorise central city
over rubbish bins in the store and
‘mooned’ them.
“We don’t feel safe, it’s horrible,”
she said.
Robert Harris employee Jamie
Lancaster-Pringle said the cafe
has verbally trespassed
several people in the
group.
“They yell at each
other and are loud and
disruptive. They take
up the whole footpath
and sit on our outdoor
furniture smoking,
without purchasing
anything,” she said.
Ibis Hotel general
manager Bradley Condor
said the problem is
“significant.”
Burgerfuel employee Britt
Bowden said the youths loiter
on the street and “terrorise and
intimidate people.”
He said CCTV camera footage
of the Cathedral Square assault
was not able to identify the offenders.
Central City Business Association
chairman Brendan Chase said
he is aware of the issue and that
police response is required.
Police were unable to respond to
questions from The Star yesterday.
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