Ag 27 september, 2017

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Wednesday, Sept 27, 2017

Since Sept 27, 1879

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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY

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Family’s gift to Ashburton Taking on Australia P24

Giving back to their community, the Murney family celebrates the opening of new exhibition space in the Ashburton Museum that will FULL STORY carry their name as family sponsors.

PHOTO SUE NEWMAN 220917-SN-003

Life over for Ashburton i-Site BY SUE NEWMAN

SUE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ

Recipes smell like summer P12

Ashburton App

THE

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The closure axe has fallen on Ashburton’s i-Site; it will officially be out of business in four weeks. After almost two months of uncertainty, the board of Experience Mid Canterbury (EMC) signed a deal that would see Ashburton’s East Street site close and Methven’s i-Site restructured. The possible closure of both centres was announced at the end of July and sparked an outcry from tourist interests and many in the community. Manager of the two i-Sites Kathryn Lorenzo said staff were told by email on

Monday that Ashburton would close. “It’s a very sad day; we’ve got just four weeks and it’s still pretty raw at the moment for people,” she said. The doors to the Ashburton centre have been closed since the closures were flagged, with the centre manager taking stress leave. Experience Mid Canterbury gave staff until August 14 to provide feedback on the proposed closures and the board then had until August 22 to respond to these. Across both sites eight people will be affected by the decision. Since Ashburton closed its doors, Lor-

Ashburton at your fingertips

enzo said the Methven centre had fielded many calls from people wanting to know how they could access its services. The EMC board wanted to close the two sites so it could redirect funds into other avenues of tourism promotion. The organisation is given a $386,000 grant annually by the Ashburton District Council. Ashburton’s closure comes when iSites were growing in number around the country, Lorenzo said.

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