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Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

The Avon River and the Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai are features of the urban environment of Christchurch City and are popular for recreational and tourist activities. These include punting, rowing, organized yachting, water skiing, shoreline walking, bird watching, recreational fishing and aesthetic appreciation. The Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 significantly affected the estuarine and river environments, affecting both the valued urban recreation resources and infrastructure. The aim of the research is to evaluate recreational opportunities using a questionnaire, assess levels of public participation in recreation between winter 2014 and summer 2014-2015 and evaluate the quality of recreational resources. The objective is to determine the main factors influencing recreational uses before and after the February 2011 earthquake and to identify future options for promoting recreational activities. Resource evaluation includes water quality, wildlife values, habitats, riparian strip and the availability of facilities and infrastructure. High levels of recreational participation usually occurred at locations that provided many facilities along with their suitability for family activities, scenic beauty, relaxation, amenities and their proximity to residences. Some locations included more land-based activities, while some included more water-based activities. There were greater opportunities for recreation in summer compared to winter. Activities that were negatively affected by the earthquake such as rowing, kayaking and sailing have resumed. But activities at some places may be limited due to the lack of proper tracks, jetty, public toilets and other facilities and infrastructure. Also, some locations had high levels of bacterial pollution, excessive growth of aquatic plants and a low number of amenity values. These problems need to be solved to facilitate recreational uses. In recovering from the earthquake, the enhancement of recreation in the river and the Estuary will lead to a better quality of life and the improved well-being and psychological health of Christchurch residents. It was concluded that the Avon River and the Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai continue to provide various opportunities of recreation for users.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the rebuilt Blackwell's Department Store on the corner of Williams Street and Raven Quay in Kaiapoi. The department store was rebuilt after the previous building was damaged in the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Objective: The nature of disaster research makes it difficult to adequately measure the impact that significant events have on a population. Large, representative samples are required, ideally with comparable data collected before the event. When Christchurch, New Zealand, was struck by multiple, devastating earthquakes, there presented an opportunity to investigate the effects of dose-related quakes (none, one, two or three over a 9-month period) on the cognition of Canterbury’s elderly population through the New Zealand Brain Research Institute’s (NZBRI’s) cognitive screening study. The related effects of having a concomitant medical condition, sex, age and estimated- full scale IQ (Est-FSIQ) on cognition were also investigated. Method: 609 participants were tested on various neuropsychological tests and a self-rated dementia scale in a one hour interview at the NZBRI. Four groups were established, based on the number of major earthquakes experienced at the time of testing: “EQ-dose: None” (N = 51) had experienced no quakes; “EQ-dose: One” (N = 193) had experienced the initial quake in September 2010; “EQ-dose: Two” (N = 82) also experienced the most devastating February 2011 quake; and “EQ-dose: Three” (N = 265) also the June 2011 quake at testing. Results: Two neuropsychological variables of Trail A and the AD8 were impacted by an EQ-dose effect, while having a medical condition was associated with poorer function on the MoCA, Rey Copy and Recall, Trail A, and AD8. Having a major medical condition led to worse performance on the Rey Copy and Recall following the major February earthquake. Males performed significantly better on Trail A and Rey Planning, while females better on the MoCA. Older participants (>73) had significantly lower scores on the MoCA than younger participants (<74), while those with a higher Est-FSIQ (>111) had better scores on the MoCA and Rey Recall than participants with a lower Est-FSIQ. Finally, predicted variable analysis (based on calculated, sample-specific Z-scores) failed to find a significant earthquake effect when variables of age, sex and Est-FSIQ were controlled for, while there was a significant effect of medical condition on each measure. Conclusion: The current thesis provides evidence suggesting resilience amongst Canterbury’s elderly population in the face of the sequence of significant quakes that struck the region over a year from September 2010. By contrast, having a major medical condition was a ‘more significant life event’ in terms of impact on cognition in this group.