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Work started this month on construction of stage two of the YMCA Christchurch’s redevelopment.

Stage Two is a new building housing a licensed preschool, a 200-seat black-box community theatre, health and wellbeing spaces, education facilities for young people, dance and movement studios, office space for other youth organisations, and a range of support tenants including hospitality, general media practice and physiotherapy.

Stage one of the development was the seismic strengthening and refurbishment of the existing YMCA accommodation building, which re-opened last August, rebranded as Hotel Give.

The hotel has since been awarded a Gold Star Qualmark listing.

The central city project was allocated $43 million of shovel-ready funding, with stage one slightly over budget at $9 million due to supply and cost issues. Stage two is expected to cost around

$34 million and to be completed by August next year (2023) after which the existing building will be demolished and turned into a carpark by January 2024.
YMCA CEO Josie Ogden Schroeder says the spirit of the new building is about access. “It is about inclusion and wellbeing.

“We have spaces within the building for groups to gather – with a key target customer being specifically the youth sector and social service sector in Christchurch. These groups need venues in the central city that are affordable, and that understand their needs, their budgets, and their goals.”