6 Thursday <strong>September</strong> <strong>24</strong> <strong>2020</strong> Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz SOUTHERN VIEW News Play time for kids planned on streets SOME LOCAL streets could be temporarily closed to traffic and turned into play areas in a series of pop-up events funded by the Government. The city council has received a grant of just over $39,000 for the Play Streets initiative. The project is being led by Sport Canterbury’s Healthy Families Ōtautahi Christchurch team, and transport consultancy ViaStrada with support from the council. There will be 12 Play Streets events held around the city. A street will be temporarily closed to traffic and the local community will be invited to scoot, bike and play safely. Play Streets is designed to encourage kids to be active and creative while boosting social connections between neighbours, and recognising the importance of play to children’s lives and community well-being. Council urban development and transport committee chairman Mike Davidson said many children were able to use their local street more during the Covid-19 lockdown. Many decorated pavements with chalk art, played sport and rode their bikes. “By introducing the Play Streets concept in Christchurch we hope to give families the opportunity to experience the streets free of traffic for a short time, and make them a lively shared space for learning and connecting.” Children will be able to walk, bike or scoot around the street and will be encouraged to bring play items out of their homes and garages to share with friends and neighbours. Sport Canterbury’s Healthy Families Ōtautahi Christchurch play systems innovator Adam Gard’ner is thrilled the project is going ahead. “Providing temporary closure on some streets to allow neighbourhoods and communities to use the space to connect and play can contribute to longer term well-connected and safe individuals, whānau, neighbourhoods and communities.” ViaStrada Ltd senior transportation engineer Gemma Dioni said streets “are a resource that are available to us all, and closing them for a few hours on a weekend will give the kids a chance to play freely and actively outside their front door in a safe and fun environment.” Each event would last for between two and four hours and ACTIVE: Closing some streets temporarily for two to four hours will allow children to play and connect with others. PHOTO: NEWSLINE the timing will be arranged with the community. There will be temporary restrictions on vehicle movements through the street for residents, as vehicles are not permitted to travel through a road closure (except for emergency vehicles). Locations will be finalised over the coming weeks. Play Streets will be held from December <strong>2020</strong> to February 2021. Clare Reilly INNER LANDS Clare Reilly’s work has been described 26 <strong>September</strong> as Neo- – 28 October <strong>2020</strong> Romantic. Her paintings are imbued with a poetic stillness and calm. She has a close affinity with birds in the landscape, with the bird motif signifying a sense of joy in flight, and hope and renewal. Clare lives in Otago’s Blueskin Bay but also spends time ain on Rd, Banks Little Peninsula River where | 03 325 1944 | art@littlerivergallery.com she is inspired by the landscape, flora and fauna. Her career spans more than three decades of painting and exhibiting throughout ‘The Chattering Stream’ oil painting New Zealand, with many by Clare Reilly exhibiting at Little River works going overseas. Gallery 26 <strong>September</strong> – 28 October Inner Lands Standing at the edge of the Inner land Looking within and out again. All is clouded and clear with Insight, foresight, hindsight, and still much unknown. There was a time when, the land was stilled and hushed. As if resting, from the itchy human activity, the earth sighed with relief. The wind played its song over the ridge lines and the voices of birds rang out clear into a cleaner, quieter air. The streams chattered down into gullies of bush and ferns, and the passing of days were, at last, observed by many, from inside their bubbles. A time of meditative connection to leave distractions of everyday life and find the meaning in being. Now take me to those Inner Lands, on the journeys of the mind, where coastal forests give way to the place of dreams, and the mind can settle and rest, and sustain the momentary beauty of existence. Clare Reilly - Sept <strong>2020</strong> Clare Reilly INNER LANDS 26 <strong>September</strong> – 28 October <strong>2020</strong> Main Rd, Little River | 03 325 1944 | art@littlerivergallery.com
SOUTHERN VIEW Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Thursday <strong>September</strong> <strong>24</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 7 256 Barrington Street, Christchurch 80<strong>24</strong> Phone: 03 332 4221