Plan for youth party venue by city bus exchange

The central city may have a multi-million dollar youth facility in less than three years.

Youth organisation White Elephant Trust is leading the charge for a youth facility complete with space for large scale music "parties" built in the central city near the bus exchange.

They have joined forces with Zeal Education Trust, which has built successful youth facilities in Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton. Plans also include spaces for youth workshops, music recording and production and offices for youth organisations.

Last week, the proposal landed in the email inbox of city councillors, Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority chief executive Roger Sutton and Mayor Bob Parker.

White Elephant Trust's chief executive officer Nathan Durkin said he already had positive feedback from city councillor Yani Johanson and from Mr Sutton's office.

The plan is to convince inner- city land owners or the city council to part with land where the facility could be built. Mr Durkin said he had his eye on the land next to the bus exchange on Tuam St.

"Ideally we would like it close to the bus exchange, because it is close to our customer base - young people," he said.

"This means it is within a stone's throw to public transport and it will also mean that when young people spill out at midnight from our events they won't be near drunk people at the clubs," he said.

Mr Durkin says the cost of the enterprise will be between $3-$4 million and although central and local government will be lobbied for funding, he was setting his sights wider.

"We have got Rotary in the mix plus philanthropic organisations. We would love to see the Canterbury Community Trust get involved," he said.

He said he would also be lobbying construction companies such as Fletchers.

Mr Durkin said the facility would be "youth-led."

"Youth-led means designed and delivered by young people. We currently have a 25 year old youth project manager who engages with young people in groups and helps them with the frame work but the youth deliver the events themselves," he said.

Mr Durkin said the idea had been bubbling away for more than two years, before the earthquakes hit. However, the earthquakes had expedited the need for things for young people to do in the city.

Mr Durkin said young people have at times led the community during the aftermath of the earthquakes and this momentum should not be lost.