Project update – website post by partners Greening the Rubble
Exciting times for Linwood village! We are working on the Linwood Tiny Shop Village project, where we are collaborating with Te Whare Roimata and Christchurch City Council to create a micro-village containing 5 to 7 tiny shops and a community garden for community use.
By partnering with a well-established, embedded and well-connected community organisation like Te Whare Roimata, we are able to create a community space that is truly grounded in an understanding of the community, and has a strong connection with the community.
The wider purpose of this project is to build and encourage community interaction and connection, but also to develop community capacity. For instance, the tiny shops are a platform for people and interest groups and somewhere to base themselves, whether to provide a service or product or a place to meet. It also empowers small business owners to start their business with flow on effects for the regeneration of the village. And of course, the Tiny Shop Village is a place to connect: people can come and visit, hang out, use the BBQ, come get their bike fixed, or do some gardening and bring home some healthy vegetables. All of this encourages community interaction and connection.
So what are we up to with this project? We’ve been planning the nuts and bolts with Te Whare Roimata and CCC. Jamie and Jono from Te Whare Roimata have been talking with locals at the Linwood Village Market to hear their thoughts, ideas and offerings for the project. We set up two working groups with representatives from the community to come up with a site design and discuss the future uses of the site. That design is now finished, and pending consent, work is about to start!
This Friday, there will be a big working bee with Schick Civil Construction. Schick not only offered a full team and machinery for a day, but some of their team are even donating their wages to the project. LEGENDS! It’s so awesome to see a local business getting right behind the community and the work that we do. Also a shout out to Oakleys Plumbing, who donated some supplies for this project!
Over the next few months, if consent comes through as hoped, we will have plenty of working bees in which community members create the site with us. We will have offsite working bees, during which we build elements for the site. But we will also have onsite working bees, focused on barn raising, gardening, painting and landscaping. Plenty for the local community to get involved with, build a connection with the space and also learn new skills along the way! Te Whare Roimata will be connecting with people who are interested in the ongoing use of the tiny shops and operation of the site.
Watch this space!
Tiny Shop Village LinwoodChristchurch regeneration, Co-creating spaces, Collaboration, Community engagement, Community involvement, Linwood, Te Whare Roimata, Working Bees
