Christchurch 6.3 Earthquake 10 Years On Christchurch earthquake 10 years on a pictorial snapshot of how Christchurch is moving forward Steve McCaughan General Manager This week marked 10 years since the devastating February 6.3 earthquake, which struck Christchurch killing 185 people, injuring thousands, and leaving a trail of destruction. It is a time none of us will ever forget. But I am filled with pride when I recall the efforts and actions of everyday Cantabrians in the weeks following. To all the professionals, volunteers and the countless unsung heroes who helped our recovery, I want to thank you for your tireless work. The kindness and actions of people in many ways all accumulated to help us all get through. It did make a difference and made me proud to be part of the Canterbury tribe. I also want to acknowledge and thank my team at Star Media, publishers of <strong>Bay</strong> <strong>Harbour</strong> News. With our building and press destroyed in the February quake, we were in a perilous position. I recall meeting with my senior team, first thing the next morning at McDonalds Riccarton (they still had power on), and we planned to publish a daily newspaper from a double garage at our IT manager’s home. We did this for several weeks, until we moved into the St Albans Cricket Club in Hagley Park. The tenacity and resilience shown by our people at the time was tremendous. It ensured we kept Christchurch connected and informed, with vital updates and information for those weeks following. Our story was just one of thousands, where Cantabrians rallied, picked themselves back up and just got on with it. We all battled the odds and the 11,000-odd aftershocks that followed. We all had our own personal journey and challenges to deal with. We should stand proud of the recovery we have all made. Today we are publishing a pictorial look at our city 10 years on and the progress made. We still have more work to do yet, but I am excited about the fact that everyday our city just gets better and is constantly improving. In the words of CHCHNZ – “We are a city where you can choose how to live your life – surrounded by stunning natural landscapes”. John Bridgman Chief Executive Otakaro Ltd We’re planning to hold the first events towards the end of this year. I start with that because the question about when Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre will be open is the one I’m most often greeted with. It’s great that there is such anticipation around this Crown-led anchor project and it’s not the only one to get excited about, as we push to get all our spaces and places completed by the end of next year. In April we’ll be opening the North Frame pedestrian bridge, the final element to be added to the largest ever public realm transformation undertaken in New Zealand – Te Papa Ōtākaro/Avon River Precinct. We’re working on the final few hundred metres of the South Frame. This new, gardenlined cycle and pedestrian laneway across the city should be near complete come the end of the year. And the Metro Sports Facility has become hard to miss on Moorhouse Ave, as we look to complete construction of the nine indoor courts and eleven pools and spas by the end of next year. This leads to another common question – Why has it taken this long? I can only speak for the time since Ōtākaro Ltd was established early in 2016. By then a lot of significant planning and demolition work had been done, but many sites were still bare. So off we went, asked by the Government to deliver some of the largest horizontal and vertical infrastructure projects in the country, in a relatively confined space, on tricky ground, with a stretched construction sector and a global pandemic at the tail end. It was a big ask and I am proud of what we have achieved so far. The reality is the regeneration of Christchurch will never be finished, and you wouldn’t want it to be. In the near future this city is going to be home to some of the best business, sports and recreation facilities in New Zealand. The Crown and Council have tackled the big stuff, the hard stuff, the infrastructure that will draw the masses in and set Christchurch up for success for generations to come. The next stage in the city’s evolution is what happens in the spaces in between. Lianne Dalziel Christchurch Mayor An anniversary is a time when we come together to remember the events of the day and to reflect on all that means to us. The 10th anniversary of the February 22, 2011 earthquake recalls the loss of 185 lives, and the impact this had had on their families and friends. Our hearts go out to all of them both here in New Zealand and in the 20 other countries where they came from. We also remember those who were injured or experienced trauma on that day. For many there is no erasing of the memory of what occurred, nor the scars – seen and unseen – that remain. We acknowledge the changes to our laws, requiring buildings to be built to stronger seismic standards, as well as decisions to retrofit buildings, that have made our city safer than it was. Lessons we have learned here have been shared across New Zealand and the world, leaving a legacy that will help protect lives in the future. And we again express our gratitude for all those who tried to help save lives regardless of their own safety on that day, and all those who helped over the days and weeks that followed. I often think about the thousands of people who flooded the damaged suburbs with support. I think of the existing community leaders who stepped up in their own communities and the emergent leaders who, like Sam Johnson and the team who set up the Student Volunteer Army. The SVA is an enduring example of the legacy they have left. We also remember that this was the earthquake that changed our landscape forever, seeing thousands of residents forced from their homes and communities. The promise that now sits in the Ōtakaro Avon River Corridor Regeneration Plan is another legacy for the future. When we experience loss on this scale, it can be hard at the time to gauge the sheer enormity of the recovery that lies ahead. When I look along Oxford Tce by the Bridge of Remembrance, that one snapshot helps me see the essence of what we imagined we could be when we contributed to ‘Share an Idea’. And that always gives me optimism for the future of our city. Stories of courage and hope, and the science behind the quakes 299 DURHAM STREET NORTH 10.00 AM TO 5.00 PM DAILY ADMISSION CHARGES APPLY quakecity.co.nz
Christchurch 6.3 Earthquake 10 Years On Christchurch Town Hall Margaret Mahy Playground He Puna Taimoana Hot Pools, New brighton “In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends” - Okakura Kakuzo Cnr Wairakei & Idris Rds Phone: 351 7444 www.victoriaflorists.co.nz
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