Ōtākaro Orchard eyes winter opening thanks to $250k of Christchurch City Council support

Thursday, 27 March 2025

Hayley Guglietta, right, with the orchard’s volunteer committee from left: David Watson, Murray James and Sarah Butterfield.

Christchurch’s Ōtākaro Orchard could be open in a few months, thanks to $250,000 worth of ratepayer support.

Christchurch City Council decided on Wednesday to give the Food Resilience Network, the charitable organisation behind the central city orchard, a $100,000 grant and forgive an existing $150,000 loan and outstanding interest of $2129.

The decision means the network can move quickly to complete the inside of the riverside building.

Clouding Wednesday’s good news was a break-in the previous night in which thieves stole the alarm system and keys for the orchard’s building, by destroying the lock box. Repairing the damage and replacing the alarm was likely to cost $2000.

The orchard, on Cambridge Tce next to the Avon River, emerged from the city's post- earthquake Share an Idea campaign and was the only community-led anchor project to come out of the rebuild.

The site, which will include a café, green grocer, information centre and demonstration kitchen, will be a headquarters for the network’s work on boosting food resilience, local produce growing, and sustainability.

The Ōtākaro Orchard building in December last year featuring its green roof.

Work on the building started in 2019 but the project has stalled a number of times due to a lack of funding.

Network chairperson Hayley Guglietta said on Wednesday she was happy the council could see what they were trying to achieve at the orchard.

“I’m really pleased that the councillors showed cross party support.”

Although reluctant to name an opening date, Guglietta said she would like the cafe to be open for winter. It would start with opening during the day and then extend to evenings in the spring.

Hayley Guglietta hopes to have the building open this winter with a café, green grocer and information centre.

“But don’t hold us to that,” she quickly added.

Guglietta said late last year, the café/bar could be the next Dux de Lux, only better.

Volunteers work at the orchard back in 2017 before the building was built.

The council’s decision to forgive the loan also meant the project could progress unencumbered by debt.

Council staff had originally recommended the council forgive the $150,000 loan and outstanding interest.

Staff also said the project did not fit the criteria for a grant from the Capital Endowment Fund, because it was an existing project, with previous council support that had run out of money.

Cr Sara Templeton asked the council to give the group $100,000 from the fund anyway, and most councillors agreed - just Sam MacDonald voted against.

The network has previously received $308,500 in grant funding for a range of projects from the council. Some $200,000 in Better-Off grant funding, paid for by the Government, but distributed by the council and the $150,000 community loan.

Cr Aaron Keown said getting the project finished was important.

“I would be happy to take a bet around this table that out of every anchor project, for dollars spent, this will get the most number of tourists - more than the stadium, more than Parakiore, for dollars spent. I’ll bet half a latte and normal milk that that will be the case.”

Cr Yani Johanson said the project ticked so many boxes and he just wanted to see it up and running.

“These are the sorts of projects I want to see more of.”

Cr Jake McLellan was not in support of giving the network the extra $100,000 because it could source the money elsewhere. However, he ended up voting for it.

Before the decision, Anglican priest, Peter Beck, who was Dean of Christchurch during the earthquakes and is now a patron of the Avon Ōtākaro Network, urged the council to support the orchard.

He criticised the staff report, saying it was disappointing and showed “scant respect” for the people who make up the network and their supporters, like himself.