The Star: July 28, 2016

The Star follow us on facebook.com/riseupchristchurch
Thursday July 28 2016 3
VOTE TO HAVE YOUR
News
SAY ON THE FUTURE OF
CHRISTCHURCH.
Enrol by 12 August at elections.org.nz
Cherry blossoms will honour
quake deaths; celebrate rugby
• By Annabelle Dick
TWENTY EIGHT young
Japanese language students
lost their lives when the CTV
building collapsed during the
February 22, 2011, quake.
Now eight cherry blossom
trees will be planted in the
Botanic Gardens to honour their
memory.
The trees, donated by the city
of Ishinomaki, Japan, will be
planted at the Botanic Garden’s
World Peace Bell garden next
month to honour victims of
New Zealand and Japan’s earthquakes.
Just weeks later, Japan was
struck by a devastating 9.0 magnitude
earthquake and tsunami
which killed about 16,000 people.
The city of Ishinomaki lost more
than 3000 people.
New Zealand World Peace Bell
member David Bolam-Smith
said the commemoration project
came about when he met Japanese
families and representatives
at the five-year anniversary in
February.
Zen Buddhist priest Taigen
Goto was there on behalf of
one of the families when Mr
Bolam-Smith invited him to
ring the peace bell to pray for
the Japanese students lost in the
CTV building.
Mr Bolam-Smith said he was
telling Mr Goto about his plans
to plant cherry trees from the
bell to the river when he offered
some help.
“He pulled out his wallet and
gave me $500 dollars on the spot
and said, ‘please plant cherry
trees here to remember the people
who died in the Christchurch
earthquake and the tsunami and
quakes in Japan’,” Mr Bolam-
Smith said.
After planting trees in
Christchurch, Mr Bolam-Smith
will also travel to Mr Goto’s
home city of Ishinomaki to
return the favour by planting
We Fix
Smart Phones
Tablets & Laptops
• Broken screens • Hardware/software
• Insurance claims • Fast repair time
Largest retail selection of
phone accessories
LOCATIONS
The Palms Mall (Kiosk)
Northlands (Food Court Kiosk)
South City
www.icell.co.nz
cherry blossoms to remember
the victims of both the Christchurch
and Japan earthquakes.
“We’re building a cherry blossom
bridge between the two
countries,” he said.
Ishinomaki is home to a training
facility being built for the
Rugby World Cup in 2019, and
Mr Goto wanted to build the
connection between Christchurch
and Japan even more for the
world cup.
Mr Bolam-Smith will travel to
the city in September to plant the
trees outside the stadium in the
presence of Japan Rugby Football
Union representatives and the
city mayor.
“The trees and a commemorative
plaque will honour the
victims of both quakes, our
countries friendship and our
love of rugby,” Mr Bolam-Smith
said.
He will travel to Japan on
September 1.
He’s also urging residents to attend
the public tree-planting ceremony
at the Botanic Garden’s
World Peace Bell to remember
those who lost their lives on
August 11 at 2.30pm.
UNCOMFORTABLE BRA?
SHAPELESS FIGURE?
• Full support from beneath the bust
eliminating most of the weight from
the shoulders
• Extremely comfortable to wear with
a breast form
• Superior fittings and consultations
• Esther is a registered health provider
and fitter for breast forms
Front-opening options in all bra styles
FREE
CONSULTATIONS
AND FITTINGS
As seen on
Esther Rökk UnderFashions
For appointments please phone 322-6590
82 Milns Rd, Halswell • www.eru.co.nz
Winter
Warmer
Special
A BLOSSOMING
CONNECTION: David
Bolam-Smith will plant
cherry blossom trees
in both Christchurch
and Ishinomaki, Japan,
to honour the lives of
earthquake victims like
Tomoki Ishikuro and
Marina Arai, both 19,
who perished in the
CTV building.
Don’t feel the cold this winter
Call us today! (03) 421 3583
Only
$2745
MSZ-GE50 – 5.8kW heating
Conditions apply, b2b installation, power supply from distribution board (DB –Board)
In Brief
SEX ATTACK LEADS
Police say they are following
strong leads due to information
from the public in relation to
a sexual attack in Ilam in the
early hours of Friday morning.
A woman was walking by
herself through the Ilam Fields
towards Waimairi Rd, near
Canterbury University, when
she was grabbed by a man and
pulled to the ground. Detective
Sergeant Nicola Reeves said the
offender threatened the woman
and sexually assaulted her before
running off.
SCHOOL BELL STOLEN
Sydenham School’s bell has
been stolen nearly 20 years after
the school closed its doors. The
original bell from the school,
on the corner of Brougham
and Colombo Sts, was moved
to Buchan Playground after it
closed in 1999. But city council
head of parks Andrew Rutledge
said the bell was missing and was
“believed to be stolen”. “Council
staff are making contact with
local police regarding this,” he
said.
ODOUR LEADS TO FINE
The city council and Living Earth
have both been fined $1000 for an
“offensive odour” wafting outside
the compost plant’s boundary on
June 14. Environment Canterbury
issued the infringements on June
30, because it breached consent.
Investigations and incidents
regional leader Valyn Barrett said
there have been 57 complaints
about the compost plant’s odour
in the past two months, with two
being substantiated.
TOP HOME AWARDS
Canterbury’s top new builds will
be announced at a gala dinner at
the Air Force Museum in Wigram
tomorrow night. Houses entered
in this year’s House of the Year
competition will compete across
a range of categories and vie for
two top awards – the Regional
Registered Master Builders
Supreme Award for House of
the Year and Supreme Award for
Renovation of the Year.