Ashburton Central

Last updated

Ashburton Central
Suburb
Ashburton Dec 2024 MRD - 14.jpg
Ashburton Clock Tower
Ashburton Central
Coordinates: 43°54′11″S171°45′00″E / 43.903°S 171.750°E / -43.903; 171.750
CountryNew Zealand
City Ashburton
Local authority Ashburton District Council
Electoral wardAshburton
Area
[1]
 • Land256 ha (633 acres)
Population
 (June 2024) [2]
 • Total
170
Hospitals Tuarangi Home
Allenton
Pfeil oben.svg
Pfeil links.svgAshburton CentralPfeil rechts.svg
Pfeil unten.svg
 Netherby
Tinwald Hampstead

Ashburton Central is the central suburb and central business district of Ashburton, in the Ashburton District and Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island.

Contents

The town was surveyed by Robert Park in 1864. [3] It was laid out around two central squares either side of the Main South railway line and State Highway 1, Baring Square East and Baring Square West. The Ashburton Domain was included in the plans for the purposes of gardens and recreation.

The clock tower is a well-known landmark in the centre of Ashburton. The Ashburton Clock Tower was designed by Warren and Mahoney Architects and built in 1976 by Bradford Construction Ltd. The clock was originally ordered in 1902 and installed in a tower of the Post Office building in 1904. It was removed in 1946 when the tower was deemed a seismic risk. The clock and its bells remained in storage until they were reinstalled in the new tower in 1976. The clock tower has won awards including for “Enduring Architecture” in 2004 from the New Zealand Institute of Architects. [4] [5]

In 2017, the Ashburton District Council began work on revitalising the central business district of Ashburton, with the aim of attracting businesses and customers back into the commercial centre of the town. [6]

A new library and civic centre for Ashburton was built between 2021 and 2023, at a final cost of $62.1 million, with a $20 million contribution from the New Zealand government. [7] [8] [9] The three-story building includes council chambers, office space, a recording studio, areas to study in, a library and a performance area. [10] The design also incorporates the historic Pioneer Hall into the facility. [11] [9] The civic centre was named Te Whare Whakatere. [12] It is located in the block behind the Ashburton clock tower on Baring Square East.

Tuarangi Home, located in Ashburton Central, is a public hospital facility operated by Canterbury District Health Board. It has 37 beds, and provides geriatric, psychogeriatric, rest home care, dementia care and medical services. [13]

Two people were killed and two others almost died during a shooting at the Work and Income office in Ashburton Central on 1 September 2014. [14]

Demographics

Ashburton Central covers 2.56 km2 (0.99 sq mi) [1] and had an estimated population of 170 as of June 2024, [2] with a population density of 66 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006162—    
2013147−1.38%
2018141−0.83%
Source: [15]

Ashburton Central had a population of 141 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 6 people (−4.1%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 21 people (−13.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 66 households, comprising 75 males and 63 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.19 males per female. The median age was 53.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 15 people (10.6%) aged under 15 years, 27 (19.1%) aged 15 to 29, 54 (38.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 45 (31.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 85.1% European/Pākehā, 4.3% Māori, 14.9% Pasifika, 4.3% Asian, and 2.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 19.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 34.0% had no religion, 57.4% were Christian, 2.1% were Hindu, 2.1% were Muslim and 4.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (16.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 30 (23.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $31,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 21 people (16.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 54 (42.9%) people were employed full-time, 15 (11.9%) were part-time, and 6 (4.8%) were unemployed. [15]

References

  1. 1 2 "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand . Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ↑ McLintock, Alexander Hare; Brian Newton Davis, M. A.; Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Ashburton". An encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, 1966. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  4. ↑ "Ashburton's enduring clock tower | Building Today". Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  5. ↑ ""Telling time resurrection" – Historic Places Mid Canterbury Living Heritage Article | Historic Places Aotearoa". historicplacesaotearoa.org.nz. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  6. ↑ "Revitalised CBD coming for Ashburton". Landscape Architecture Aotearoa. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  7. ↑ Leask, Jonathan (8 October 2024). "Final cost of Ashburton's library and civic centre revealed". RNZ . Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  8. ↑ "Green light for $42m Ashburton Library and Civic Centre build". Stuff . 25 April 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  9. 1 2 "$20m for library and civic building a tremendous boost, says Ashburton mayor". 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  10. ↑ DC, Ashburton (27 August 2020). "Council adopts detailed designs for new Library and Civic Centre". www.ashburtondc.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  11. ↑ Baird, Rosemary (3 July 2024). "Ashburton's historic Pioneer Hall retained within new library". Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga . Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  12. ↑ "Ashburton's new civic centre and library named 'for future generations'". Stuff . 25 October 2021. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "Tuarangi Home – Ministry of Health Profile". health.govt.nz. Ministry of Health.
  14. ↑ Leask, Anna (25 October 2020). "61 seconds of horror – The Ashburton Winz murders". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. New Zealand Herald.
  15. 1 2 "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Ashburton Central (338000). 2018 Census place summary: Ashburton Central
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