Christchurch Town Hall

Christchurch Town Hall of the Performing Arts
Main entrance of the Christchurch Town Hall on Kilmore Street
General information
Coordinates	43°31′37.02″S 172°38′7.78″E / 43.5269500°S 172.6354944°E / -43.5269500; 172.6354944Coordinates: 43°31′37.02″S 172°38′7.78″E / 43.5269500°S 172.6354944°E / -43.5269500; 172.6354944
Inaugurated	1972
Owner	Vbase
Design and construction
Architecture firm	Warren and Mahoney
Main contractor	C S Luney Ltd
Awards and prizes	NZIA Gold Medal 1973

The Christchurch Town Hall, since 2007 formally known as the Christchurch Town Hall of the Performing Arts, opened in 1972, is Christchurch New Zealand's premier performing arts centre. It is located in the central city on the banks of the Avon River overlooking Victoria Square. It was situated opposite the now-demolished Christchurch Convention Centre. Due to significant damage sustained during the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake the Christchurch Town Hall is closed until the end of 2013 at the earliest. Council staff have recommended demolition of all but the main auditorium. At a meeting in November 2012, however, councillors voted to rebuild the entire hall.

The first Town Hall in Christchurch was built on the corner of Hereford Street and Cathedral Square, from where one would look down Sumner Road (since renamed High Street). The verandah was used as hustings for elections.

The current building was part of an envisaged civic centre for Christchurch. Part I, the Christchurch Town Hall, was opened on 30 September 1972 by the Governor General, Sir Denis Blundell. The project was carried out by the then six metropolitan territorial local authorities, i.e. Christchurch City Council, Paparua and Heathcote County Councils, Riccarton and Lyttelton Borough Councils, and Waimairi District Council. Five of these local authorities were amalgamated in the 1989 local government reforms, and Lyttelton became part of Christchurch in March 2006, hence Christchurch City Council has sole responsibility for the venue these days.

Part II, new civic offices as a replacement for the Civic in Manchester Street, to be built on the corner of Kilmore and Durham Streets, cutting Victoria Street off from going through Victoria Square, was not built. Instead, the Christchurch City Council purchased Miller's Department Store in Tuam Street in 1978 and fitted this building out as the new civic offices, occupying the building in 1980. A hotel now stands in the place that was set aside for the civic offices across Victoria Street.