The old community centre at 10 Shirley Rd was demolished following the February 22, 2011, earthquake.
But Christchurch City Council’s Long Term Plan, approved last month, allocates $3 million towards a centre rebuild in the 2031-2032 financial year.
It also budgets $35,000 for a feasibility study to take place in the 2021-2022 financial year.
Innes Ward city councillor Pauline Cotter said the future of the project is in the hands of the community.
“It’s now with the community, they’re going to have to drive that,” Cotter said.
It is possible the $3 million funding could be brought forward if a building plan was ready and viable, she said.
Funding for a community facility was not included in the 2018 Long Term Plan and she was pleased it was included this time.
“The fact that it is in there is great.”
“We had to work really hard and the community had to work really hard to get it back.”
She thought it unlikely the issue could again fall off the council’s to-do list.
“The community will keep it above the radar.”
The community was devastated when funding was dropped from the last Long Term Plan and wanted to avoid a repeat of that scenario, she said.
She was pleased with the council’s response.
“It’s been a lot of work, we’re really relieved,” Byrne said.
She hoped the project would be brought forward as planning progressed.
“It’s still a long way out but I’m hoping that we’ll have a new community centre before 2030.”
The site was currently home to a pump track and playground.
“That’s great, but it won’t meet the needs of the whole community,” Lang said.
However, she did not trust the council to pull through on the project.
“A decade is a long time to wait for when you’ve already waited a decade.”
