Explore Te Ara Ātea with us!

Nau mai, haere mai ki Te Ara Ātea.

Welcome to the unobstructed trail to the world and beyond.

Come and explore everything that Te Ara Ātea has to offer with a guided tour, presented by the Selwyn Libraries team.

Te Ara Ātea is the manawa of Rolleston’s new town centre – a place of discovery, community gathering and sharing knowledge. You can find out the story behind the name here.

It’s a vibrant, and inclusive cultural facility that weaves together the established and growing communities of the Selwyn District through stories of people, place, and journeys.

Developed in partnership with Te Taumutu Rūnaka, Te Ara Ātea increases the social and cultural well-being of all Selwyn residents by blending cultural storytelling, contemporary public library experiences and collections, meeting rooms, performance spaces, workshops, digital resources, social spaces, as well as accessible and significant arts, culture and heritage displays.

It has rapidly become a space to work and play, meet new people, and connect with family and friends.

This is created through:

• Barrier-free access to digital technology and digital experiences.
• Partnerships with mana whenua, local artists and local heritage organisations, including a sustainable and ongoing relationship with Canterbury Museum to loan precious taonga with provenance to Selwyn.
• 22 cases displaying over 50 local taonga which reflect diverse Selwyn communities.
• Two permanent public artworks and additional integrated art exhibition opportunities.
• Celebrated use of reo Māori throughout bilingual signage, wayfinding and space names.
• Opportunities for cultural experiences, storytelling and learning, including for Selwyn education providers who can now be hosted for education outside the classroom.
• The ability to participate in creative arts, heritage, learning and cultural programmes and performances.

Light refreshments will be provided. Please contact bridie.frost@selwyn.govt.nz if you have any dietary requirements.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Ko te pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata whakamaua kia tīna.

Seek out distant horizons and cherish those you attain.