Restored town hall set to open its doors
The restored auditorium in the Christchurch Town Hall will open to the public for the first time in eight years on February 23.
Public open days will be held on February 23 and 24, where people can tour the Douglas Lilburn Auditorium along with the the Avon Room, formerly the Boaters Restaurant, the Victoria and Limes Rooms.
The whole Town Hall complex will not be open this month. The James Hay Theatre will reopen in April, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra’s (CSO) new headquarters will be complete in May and the whole complex will be restored by August.
Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel will officially reopen the Town Hall at noon on February 23.
The budget for the restoration has risen from $127.5 million to $167m. The first concert in the main auditorium is on March 1, with Christchurch band Shapeshifter performing with the CSO.
Dalziel said the open days would be special.
‘‘It will be the first time the public have been allowed in the building since the earthquakes and I’m sure many people will enjoy having an opportunity to reacquaint themselves with its spaces,’’ she said.
‘‘Most Christchurch people have fond memories of the Town Hall and of events they have gone to so it will be a chance for people to reminisce and to also get excited about future experiences there.’’
The Town Hall will be open to the public between noon and 6pm on February 23 and 24.
The budget for the restoration has risen to $167 million.