(15 October 2018) Mayor Lianne Dalziel, opening the new library, said that the $92 million five-level centre on the edge of Cathedral Square marks the return of Christchurch’s cultural and community heart following the 2011 earthquake.
“Tūranga will create a new set of memories for a new generation in a way I would never have dreamed as a child. It is much more than a library and I think it’s going to transform the central city. It’s a massive game changer in terms of giving people of all ages an inspirational place to meet, learn, create and discover. It is jam packed with new experiences, technology and knowledge and I hope it will excite children into dreaming about their future and the part they can play in shaping our city and our world.”
Christchurch’s former central library was demolished after being damaged in the February 2011 earthquake. It was the largest and busiest library in the South Island with nearly one million visitors each year. Its replacement was designed by New Zealand company Architectus in association with Danish library design experts schmidt hammer lassen.
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