Situated at 199 Clarence Street, Riccarton, this centre comprises a large hall with a large modern shared kitchen and is ideal for a range of dance, education and workshop events.

Please note the Kōwhai room is not available for hire in 2025.

Booking and enquiries

For regular hirers (who want to book for six or more dates) please complete an online Council community facility request(external link).

For a casual hire, please call us on 03 941 8999.

Kitchen

Makomako

Kowhai

Kahikitea

Rārākau Riccarton Centre has the following capacities:

Room Capacity
Kahikitea (Hall) 155
Kowhai (Activity Room) 20
Makomako (Activity Room) 12

Hours of hire

  • Sunday to Thursday, 8am to 10pm 
  • Friday and Saturday, 8am to midnight 

Available rooms

  • Kahikitea (Hall) on the ground floor.
  • Kōwhai (medium-sized room with kitchenette) on the first floor. Unavailable to book for hire for 2025.
  • Makomako (smaller meeting room) on the ground floor.
  • Large ground floor shared kitchen.

Access

  • This centre has wheelchair access and wheelchair-accessible toilets. Wheelchair access is via the front entrance.
  • There is limited on-site parking at Riccarton Centre.  Off-street parking is available nearby.

The below pricing takes effect from 1 July 2024.

Kahikitea (ground-floor main hall) hire

  • $18.00 per hour for not-for-profit community groups where the booking is for community benefit and does not charge attendees.
  • $33.00 per hour for not-for-profit community groups where the booking is for a community group and charges fees or takes payment.
  • $90.00 per hour for commercial, business, private or celebration hire. This includes auctions, meetings, birthdays, weddings, private events, funerals etc.

Makomako (ground-floor activity room 1) and Kōwhai (first-floor activity room 4) hire

Please note Kōwhai room is not available for hire in 2025.

  • $16.00 per hour for not-for-profit community groups where the booking is for community benefit and does not charge attendees.
  • $25.00 per hour for not-for-profit community groups where the booking is for a community group and charges fees or takes payment.
  • $40.00 per hour for commercial, business, private or celebration hire. This includes auctions, meetings, birthdays, weddings, private events, funerals etc.

Cleaning fees

  • Hall: $140.00.
  • Additional cleaning charges may apply if required.

General fees

  • Cost recovery up to $88.00 for after-hours building inspection and security charge for social events including birthdays, weddings, and celebrations for bookings where the hire is:
    • Booked after 6pm Monday to Friday for 4 hours and longer.
    • Booked after 5pm Saturday, Sunday or Public Holiday for 4 hours and longer.
    • At the discretion of Council staff and not limited to the events above.
  • $60.00 replacement charge for lost or damaged keys/access cards.

A security guard will be present from the last hour of the hire to ensure the hirer adheres to the terms and conditions of hire and has made good the community space to the required standard.

Floor plan and photos

Kahikitea (ground-floor main hall)

  • A recessed data projector is installed in the Main Hall with a large retractable projector screen and speakers recessed into the ceiling
  • 15 trestle tables
  • 80 chairs
  • All hirers are required to supply their own HDMI cables for use with the screen

Makomako (ground-floor activity room 1)

  • 12 chairs
  • 2 tables

Kōwhai (first-floor activity room 4) Please note Kōwhai room not available in 2025.

  • 20 chairs
  • 4 tables
  • Small kitchenette with tea and coffee making facilities

Shared kitchen

  • Zip water boiler
  • 2 cookers/ovens
  • 2 microwaves
  • 1 commercial dishwasher
  • 1 large fridge
  • Limited crockery and cutlery
  • All hirers are required to supply their own tea towels, washing up cloths, rubbish bags and cleaning liquids

User guide

Conditions of hire

Health and safety

  • As part of the rental agreement, you accept legal responsibility to meet evacuation plans, health and safety responsibilities and to act as the facility warden.
  • All users are required to complete a pre-use form. These must then be signed, dated and left in the dropbox in the foyer of the centre.

Alcohol

  • The consumption and supply of alcohol is not permitted at this facility.

Music

  • Heavy amplified bands are not allowed.
  • Musical entertainment must only moderately amplify the music and keep bass minimised.
  • Amplified music must stop before 9.30pm on Sunday to Thursday,  and at 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday (for a maximum 4 functions per month).
  • All external doors and windows must be kept closed when music is being played at levels that are louder than background levels which permit normal conversation and after 10pm
  • No music amplification equipment or speakers are permitted to operate outside the venue.