The CTV Site

243 Madras Street.

Stella Cheersmith

The CTV building was located on the corner of Madras and Cashel streets. The site was selected for the new building and construction began in 1986, led by Williams Construction and supported by designs from Alan Reay Consultants Ltd. In the 1990s, issues were raised concerning the structural integrity of the building and minor remedial work was done, but in 2011 the building collapsed completely, killing 115 of the people inside. Rubble was slowly cleared away and the only remnant of the structure (the lift shaft) was demolished in May 2011. The site remained empty for two years before public outcry at its poor state – littered with rubbish and marred by vandalism – prompted a clean-up plan. It was purchased by the Crown and developed into a memorial garden for people to remember those who died in the CTV building.

History:

• Christchurch Press 18 August 2012: Section A, Page 4 | "Many twists to CTV tragedy." - This double page spread provides a good history of the CTV building’s design and construction. It includes a timeline as well as a summary of the relevant evidence heard at the Royal Commission and the people involved in the controversy. Continued on Page 5.
  • A web version of the infographic that runs along the top of this two-page article provides a summarised history of the CTV site.
• CTV Tributes | Canterbury Museum - This page on the Canterbury Museum website contains a collection of tributes left at the CTV site after it was cleared. Over time, the Museum removed objects from the site for archiving, while organic materials (like flowers) were composted and used in the city’s gardens. Because of this, Canterbury Museum’s digital archive of these tributes includes only inorganic materials and items that would not decompose.

Resources:

• Fairfax Video, 23 February 2011. - This video shows aerial footage of the damage within Christchurch, taken on February 23, 2011. The still-smoking CTV building can be seen from 0:00:31 to 0:01:12. No commentary accompanies the piece.
• Christchurch Press 9 March 2011: Section A, Page 5 | "Bare earth marks a city's greatest loss." - Describes the CTV building in the aftermath of the February 22 earthquake. In the two weeks since the collapse, the site has been cleared, and only the charred lift shaft remains of the original structure. Mayor Bob Parker and Civil Defence National Controller John Hamilton recently addressed the media at the site.
• Christchurch Press 12 May 2011: Section A, Page 1 | "End in sight for horrific monolith." - Discusses the demolition of the CTV lift shaft, all that remains of the original structure. The site has been analysed by investigators to determine why the building collapsed, and diggers have begun ripping down the lift shaft. The article also includes some responses and statements from family members of the CTV victims.
• The Star 24 August 2011 (Page 4-5) | "CTV building 'should not have pancaked'." - Reports on the speculation about the CTV collapse ahead of the Royal Commission of inquiry. It includes some analyses from engineering experts, statements from Alan Reay, head of the firm that designed the buildings, and some responses from family members of the CTV victims.

Credit: Grant Armishaw, New Zealand Defence Force, Central Photographic Establishment. Source: https://quakestudies.canterbury.ac.nz/store/object/108977

• Christchurch Press 10 February 2012: Section A, Page 1 | "CTV flaw went unchecked." "Building 'failed to meet standards'." - This page contains a large article spread about the Department of Building and Housing’s report on the CTV collapse. It includes infographics about potential collapse scenarios and a summary of the key points in the report, which concluded that several issues with the CTV building’s structural integrity had likely contributed to its complete collapse.
• Fairfax Video, 16 February 2012. - This video shows footage of the CTV building site from 0:01:44 to 0:02:04. Flowers, tributes and photos have been set up along the fence, while people and media teams gather outside. Sound and commentary are kept to a minimum.
• Christchurch Press 23 February 2013: Section A, Page 5 | "CTV site open to public to mark quake anniversary." - Reports on the second anniversary of the earthquake, and the CTV site being opened to the public for the first time since the building collapsed. Many people gathered at the site to mourn, leave handwritten notes, flowers, and other tributes for the people who died at the site two years prior.
• Christchurch Press 6 December 2013: Section A, Page 3 | "Mayor to push for memorial." - This article provides information about the CTV site, and recent discussion about its future. Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel advocated for the site to be tidied and made into a temporary memorial, in time for the third anniversary of the earthquake. Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee was opposed to the idea.
• Christchurch Press 10 December 2013: Section A, Page 5 | "Brownlee agrees to CTV cleanup, not a memorial." - Details Gerry Brownlee’s recent discussion between Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee about the CTV site. Brownlee agreed to Dalziel’s proposed clean-up of the site before 22 February 2014, but remained against the idea of a temporary memorial.
• Christchurch Press 24 December 2013: Section A, Page 2 | "CTV site always a 'special place'." - Details the planned clean-up for the CTV site, which is set to become a memorial area for people to reflect on those who were lost there. This article includes statements from Quake Families Co-Chairman Maan Alkaisi, who met with CERA Chief Executive Roger Sutton and Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel to discuss the clean-up plans.
• Christchurch Press 19 February 2014: Section A, Page 19 | "Please build a proper memorial." - This opinion piece, written by David Killick, discusses the CTV site, giving details about some of the tributes left there. Killick mentions some of the existing earthquake memorials around the city – as well as memorials for other tragedies around the world – and considers whether the CTV site should be developed into a more permanent place of remembrance due to its significance.
• Memorial Garden for CTV victims opens in Christchurch | RNZ - This report from Checkpoint with John Campbell discusses the memorial garden that has been developed on the site of the CTV collapse. John Campbell talks to reporter Rachel Graham who was at the site and describes the garden, which includes a centre grove as well as part of the foundation stone from the collapsed building, and three of the original CTV car parks.

Credit: Grant Armishaw, New Zealand Defence Force, Navy Photographic Unit. Source: https://quakestudies.canterbury.ac.nz/store/object/109137

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General Searches:

For further information on the CTV building and the site of the collapse, search the CEISMIC collection or get started with one of the links below.

• For a general search of the collection that includes "CTV building" and keywords such as demolition, site, click here
• To explore the CTV site tag on CEISMIC, click here
• To search the CTV Memorial tag on the archive, click here
• To find images of the CTV site, click here
• To explore articles about the CTV site, click here