Work on Christchurch Town Hall nears half way mark

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Repair work on Christchurch's iconic Town Hall, badly damaged in the earthquakes, has nearly hit the halfway mark.

Music back at the Christchurch Town Hall

Audio, Radio New Zealand

For the first time in six years, music has filled Christchurch's Town Hall, which suffered significant damage in the February 2011 earthquake.

Supporters of Christchurch town hall hopeful it will be saved

Audio, Radio New Zealand

People who want the Christchurch Town Hall restored are optimistic the City Council will today commit to saving the earthquake damaged building.

Christchurch Town Hall reopens its doors

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Its budget may have blown out by almost a third more than the original figure, but this weekend the doors to the Christchurch Town Hall will re-open for the first time since the 2011 earthquakes. It was touch and go whether the 47 year-old building would even be repaired after the 6.2 quake eight years ago today. 167-million-dollars later and the city is finally getting its town hall back. Conan Young was allowed inside for a sneak peak ahead of Saturday's official opening.

Not everybody in Chch excited about Council approvals

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Earthquake Recovery Minister says the Christchurch City Council has wasted an opportunity in deciding to save the Town Hall, instead of building a new performing arts precinct.

Christchurch's organ bursts back into life

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The organ at the Christchurch Town Hall made a welcome return yesterday in front of a capacity crowd of 2,500. The instrument was badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake. Conan Young was there as another important part of the city came back to life.

The architectural revolutionaries who shaped Christchurch

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney were architectural revolutionaries who built a legendary partnership spanning 37 years. A new film currently in production aims to celebrate their incredible legacy and document the bitter fight to save their most iconic building - the Christchurch Town Hall - from demolition after the 2011 earthquake. Co-director and Maurice's daughter Jane Mahoney talks to Mark Leisham about the pairs legacy and the process of making the film.

Neil Cox: Christchurch Theatre Royal CEO

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Christchurch's historic Theatre Royal will reopen for business in November, with bookings about to open for the first show, the Royal New Zealand Ballet season of "A Christmas Carol" The 106-year old theatre has been closed for almost four years because of earthquake damage in the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. The $40million rebuild and restoration project will be completed over the next five months and on 17 November 2014, the 'Grand Old Lady' of New Zealand theatre will reopen her doors for performances. With so few venues for performance left in the city, including the Town Hall out of commission indefinitely, the rebuild of the Theatre Royal is very good news for Christchurch audiences Chief executive Neil Cox explains the process of getting oldest Edwardian theatre in the country back in use and mounting the large scale theatrical productions it has been famous for.