Riccarton Community Library Opening

Saturday 25 February 2006

Good morning

On multi speech events like today, I like to remind myself of one of the keys to lasting political popularity, and that is to keep things short.

Having said that, I also need to make the point that good manners require me to make sure some key people get publicly thanked for bringing this project this far, and this well.

To the Riccarton-Wigram Community Board, thank you.

Two key players in this exercise were Sue Sutherland, our former Libraries Manager and Gary Coburn, the former Principal of Riccarton High. To you also a major public thanks.

Last, but very much not least thanks to City Solutions for their project management and landscape design.

This new building is very much a pointer for the future. Its history and formation are very much signposts toward how we will meet the future demands for facilities like this in other parts of town.

Joint ventures will become more the rule and less the exception. In time it will become one of those head scratching puzzles of why on earth it took us so long to realise this is the way to do things. It is the way to go.

The City, Riccarton High and the community are all the stronger for combining our resources like this.

This is a great example of what can be done when sectors see past their traditional isolation to build on what they all have in common.

This library is a true community-education partnership. It also pulls together local and central government resources to make a result that strengthens both the community and Riccarton High School.

One of the great challenges of our times is to help all of us deal with the constant waves of change that buffet our once much predictable lives.

Part of meeting that challenge is to help make sure people can get hold of the tools for living in a world where learning is a life long experience. This integrated focus on education and learning takes us quite a few steps in the right direction.

Finally, this is another pointer to the future in the energy efficient and environmentally friendly design that has been designed by Warren and Mahoney.

Ultimately of course, this new building and all it holds is about people. It's yours to use and enjoy.

It is now my pleasure to declare this building officially opened and deliver on my promise to keep things short.

Thank You