Christchurch’s new $92m central city library opened today – replacing the former library which was damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes. But as Logan Church discovers, with sewing suites, a TV wall and a music studio, this library is home to more than rows and rows of books.
Between demolition and rebuild stands a time of opportunity in the earthquake ravaged city of Christchurch. Greening the Rubble and Gap Filler are temporary pockets of enterprise which began as early responses and have built in momentum to define the new city.
Christchurch residents will gather today to mark the tenth anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake. The 6.2 magnitude quake killed 185 people and caused widespread destruction across the city. It hit at 12.51pm while many people were in the city centre, working, shopping or enjoying their lunch in the sunshine. This is where our coverage began. A warning this is confronting audio of events that day.
Te Pae, Christchurch's near $450 million convention centre, has been officially opened this afternoon with a pōwhiri and unveiling by Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Minister Megan Woods. Billed as a legacy for the city, it replaces the old centre which was demolished following the Canterbury earthquakes. Niva Chittock is at the ceremony and joins Lisa with the details.
Christchurch Hospital has just celebrated its 150th anniversary. The major medical facility is in the heart of the city, beside Hagley Park, and played a key role in the February earthquake, treating the many who were seriously injured. Christchurch correspondent Katy Gosset discovers the hospital faces its own quake-related challenges as it plans for the future.
The Christchurch city and Waimakariri District councils have from today got no insurance cover for future earthquakes after their existing policies expired at 4pm.
The Christchurch city council says today's flooding would have been much worse had it not been for post-earthquake upgrades to the storm water system.
Some Christchurch community groups say a programme to rebuild the city's wastewater and storm water systems to a pre-earthquake equivalent isn't good enough.
The collapsed PGC and CTV buildings in the Christchurch CBD were both"green stickered"by city council inspectors following the earthquake in September last year.
A victim's family and engineers are seeking answers from the Christchurch City Council on why the earthquake-devastated CTV building was allowed to be built.
Thousands of people are being evacuated from the Christchurch city centre with Civil Defence officials saying its simply too dangerous for residents to stay there.
For the latest on the damage caused by Monday's earthquakes, we're joined by the Christchurch City Council's water and waste unit manager, Mark Christison.
Christchurch and its surrounding towns are slowly starting to be rebuilt after the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Our political editor Brent Edwards has been in Christchurch to find out whether the rebuild debate will dominate the election campaign in the city.
Before the earthquakes, Sarah Miles ran a psychotherapy practice in Christchurch. During the recovery phase she was astounded to find that when it comes to issues of real importance to the citizens - welfare, policyholder protection, economic security and education - politicians are conveniently deaf, dumb and blind. She’s written a book intended to expose the Government and the insurance industry's failure, she says, to protect the citizens of Christchurch and draw attention to the need for change to ensure that there is not a repeat of what she describes as the fiasco that happened in her city. Sarah Miles’ book, The Christchurch Fiasco - Insurance Aftershock and its Implications for New Zealand and Beyond, is published by Dunmore Publishing.
Before the earthquakes, Sarah Miles ran a psychotherapy practice in Christchurch. During the recovery phase she was astounded to find that when it comes to issues of real importance to the citizens - welfare, policyholder protection, economic security and education - politicians are conveniently deaf, dumb and blind. She's written a book intended to expose the Government and the insurance industry's failure, she says, to protect the citizens of Christchurch and draw attention to the need for change to ensure that there is not a repeat of what she describes as the fiasco that happened in her city. Sarah Miles' book, The Christchurch Fiasco - Insurance Aftershock and its Implications for New Zealand and Beyond, is published by Dunmore Publishing.
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.
Today marks seven years since the devastating Christchurch Earthquake. We turn out attention to the Garden City, first celebrating the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra’s 60th anniversary with violinist Natalia Lomeiko, then organist Martin Setchell on the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church organ rising from the rubble.
A year and a half after the February Earthquake, economics has ensured much of the waste material coming out of Christchurch's central city has been recycled.
Some Christchurch building owners say a bulldozer's the best option, despite the city council calling for government help to rebuild heritage buildings damaged by the earthquake.
Christchurch residents who've finally been allowed in to the earthquake ravaged inner-city redzone say the devastation was far worse than they had ever imagined.
The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority will be travelling the length of New Zealand this week to drum up investment in the rebuild of Christchurch's city centre.
Before the earthquakes, Sarah Miles ran a psychotherapy practice in Christchurch. During the recovery phase she was astounded to find that when it comes to issues of real importance to the citizens â€" welfare, policyholder protection, economic security and education â€" politicians are conveniently deaf, dumb and blind. She’s written a book intended to expose the Government and the insurance industry's failure, she says, to protect the citizens of Christchurch and draw attention to the need for change to ensure that there is not a repeat of what she describes as the fiasco that happened in her city. Sarah Miles’ book, The Christchurch Fiasco â€" Insurance Aftershock and its Implications for New Zealand and Beyond, is published by Dunmore Publishing.
Christchurch artist Mike Beer creates miniature models of Christchurch buildings that were lost in the Canterbury earthquakes. Through these tiny models Mike hopes to remind people of the buildings that once shaped the city - and bring back the feelings and memories associated with them. Mike, who goes by the name Ghostcat, says It's all about the connections people have with a time, and place. His models are to be displayed at Fiksate Gallery in Christchuch from April 9.
It's hoped a new art installation in Ōtautahi Christchurch can help people talk their worries away through a series of telephones by the riverside. Twelve telephones have popped up across sites commemorating the city's devastating 2011 earthquakes. The group behind the project is Flourish Kia Puawai. Its associate director Sharon Torstonson spoke to Corin Dann.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister is giving the Christchurch City Council until this morning to approve a major land development plan otherwise he'll force it through himself.
Two years after the Christchurch earthquakes, the city council has only finished detailed assessments of about half its community facilities, and nasty surprises are still cropping up.
Kathmandu has announced plans to build its new national distribution centre in the Christchurch suburb of Woolston, in a vote of confidence for the earthquake-damaged city.
The Royal Commission hearings into the Canterbury earthquake begin in Christchurch today to examine why some of the newer buildings in the city's CBD failed so badly.
Christchurch has its own social superhero and he's gone cap in hand to the council for funding. The self-styled lycra-clad superhero, known only at 'Flat Man', has been dropping care packages to people since the 2011 Canterbury earthquake. He also wants to be able to help schoolkids and anxious and stressed residents through their troubles. And to do this, he's now asking the Christchurch City Council for funding. He joins us now, and says "a cape is a must".
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.