For the first time in five years, people have filled the Christchurch Arts Centre's Great Hall. A massive restoration effort costing $16 million has seen it restored to its former self.
Marvelling at its beauty, the first heritage lovers walked through the doors.
"It feels like coming home when you walk through. It's really nice," one visitor told Newshub. "The art centre is the sole bit of heritage we've still got in the centre of the city, and to have even a part of it reopening is fantastic."
The Heritage One building was shut after the 2011 shake. Since then, skilled craftsman and engineers have restored it to a stronger version of its former self.
"It's a warm building; it's a safe building; it's a much, much, better building, but it looks the same," says Arts Centre CEO Andre Lovatt.
Many of the historical features are still intact, from the timber roof to the original Oamaru stone work.
All 4000 pieces of the original "Memorial Window" have been restored. The feature window is dedicated to former students who died in World War I.
The Gothic-revival style hall was first built in 1882. It's been known to host weddings, school events and community gatherings.
Construction is still underway on 19 of the Arts Centre's 23 quake-damaged buildings as part of a $290 million restoration.
The completion of many of those buildings is still a long way off, with the likes of Rutherford's Den and the Boys High Building yet to be repaired. The final pieces of this precinct aren't expected to be repaired until 2019.
Newshub.
