Friday, August 10, 2018
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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
CHINESE SETTLEMENT BUILDINGS ARE:
‘pretty well stuffed’
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Neil Brown BY SUE NEWMAN
SUE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Community feedback on the future of buildings in Ashburton’s Allen’s Road Chinese settlement has prompted a top level suggestion that those buildings could be demolished rather than restored. That suggestion was made at yesterday’s Ashburton District Council meeting by deputy mayor Neil Brown. “I’ve listened to people out there in the community and they’re saying it’ll cost a huge amount of money to restore because they’re pretty well stuffed,” he said. After listening to what people were saying Brown said he was inclined to agree. “They’re saying demolish the buildings and develop the site into something else, something that’s a memorial to the Chinese settlers, some-
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thing that’s useful. I’m not sure we’re heading down the right track with restoration.” There needed to be some serious conversations around the best way to mark the contribution of the Chinese settlers, Brown said. “Putting money into the restoration of those old buildings is probably a waste of money.” The council has already agreed to spend money on fencing the site and making it safe. Funds were approved for stage one of this work and at last month’s finance and business support committee meeting they agreed to seek further funding to complete a revised and staged restoration programme for the settlement. Chairman of the council’s Chinese settlement working group, Leen Braam, said he was also hearing similar sentiments in the community. “I’m certainly open-minded (on the outcome) and open to discuss this,” he said.
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