From Staffordshire pottery to American made glass-ware, we’ve come across artefacts from all over the world on archaeological sites here in Christchurch. This prevalence of internationally made artefacts, and what it means for the city’s history, is something that’s come … Continue reading ...
The temperatures are heating up, there’s Christmas decorations in shops around the city and we’re on the countdown to summer holidays. In our penultimate blog post for the year we’re going to look back on some of our best artefacts … Continue reading →
When you think about the Avon River running through Christchurch, you might imagine punting boats and kayaks in Hagley Park. Such attractions in our garden city are far from new and, recently, a few of us here at Underground Overground … Continue reading →
Once upon a time, there was a baker (a pie-maker, even) who left his home in Germany and travelled the length of the world to a small country in the South Pacific. There, in a young city built on a … Continue reading →
Earlier this year, we excavated a site on Armagh Street that revealed not only a large quantity of artefacts, but also a historical and material narrative set in the swampy bowels of a fledgling city, a tale of politics, commerce, … Continue reading →
Recently, Peter Mitchell, one of our building archaeology specialists, recorded a 19th century residential dwelling just on the edge of Christchurch’s Central City. This dwelling was similar in form and function to others we have seen in Canterbury – it … Continue reading →
The Christchurch liquefaction study was initiated to better determine liquefaction susceptibility in Christchurch city. It aimed to improve on earlier liquefaction susceptibility maps, which were based on soil type and distribution, by incorporating soil strength data into liquefaction analysis. This stage of the study included collating available geological and geotechnical data from Environment Canterbury and Christchurch City Council into a database, modelling liquefaction hazard and ground damage and presenting these as maps. The report contains many recommendations, which were taken up in subsequent stages of the study. (Note that the results of Stage 1 of the Christchurch liquefaction study were provided to Environment Canterbury as a letter rather than a report. This was a summary of work completed to 30 June 2001, including a review of geological and geotechnical data available within Environment Canterbury and Christchurch City Council records.) See Object Overview for background and usage information.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker looks at damage during a tour of the inner city yesterday".
Among those businesses most affected by the end of the welfare scheme are cafes, restaurants and bars. 100 such businesses have closed in the central city alone because of the earthquake.
A Christchurch city council manager has told the Royal Commission there was an element of chaos after the first earthquake in September 2010 as staff sought to get systems in place.
Increasingly, economic, political and human crises, along with natural disasters, constitute a recurrent reality around the world. The effect of large-scale disaster and economic disruption are being felt far and wide and impacting libraries in diverse ways. Libraries are casualties of natural disasters, from earthquakes to hurricanes, as well as civil unrest and wars. Sudden cuts in library budgets have resulted in severe staff reductions, privatization and even closures. The presenters share their experiences about how they have prepared for or coped with profound change.
Painted lines on the road at the corner of Hereford and Colombo Streets, part of the Christchurch City Council's Transitional City project.
A video of Lianne Dalziel speaking to a public gathering about her reasons for standing for the mayoralty of Christchurch. Dalziel talks about starting her mayoralty where Share an Idea left off, making the Council a high performing team, and getting the community involved in the decisions about the future of the city. The video also includes footage of Dalziel taking a tour of the Christchurch central city. Dalziel visits the ChristChurch Cathedral, pointing out a sign which reads, "The earthquakes stopped us, but inept procedures are killing us". She also visits the new Westende Jewellers building, which she notes was the first rebuild in the Christchurch central city but will come down as part of CERA's Transport Plan. Dalziel is shown socialising with members of the public and watching the Christchurch Wizard bless New Regent Street.
The task of rebuilding Christchurch is being compared to what was required to restore the Japanese city of Kobe after its massive earthquake in 1995.
A PDF copy of pages 196-197 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Container Art'. Photos: Eugenio Boidi
A PDF copy of pages 186-187 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Dino-Sauna'. Photos: Gap Filler
A PDF copy of pages 146-147 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Dux Live'.
A PDF copy of pages 264-265 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Knit Happens'. Photos: Jen McBride
A PDF copy of pages 192-193 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Butterfly Gap'. Photos: Gap Filler
A PDF copy of pages 184-185 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Re:Entry'. Photos: Gap Filler
A PDF copy of pages 330-331 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Social Soup'. Photos: Joel Cocks
A PDF copy of pages 180-181 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Gap Golf'. Photos: Gap Filler
It was so nearly lost. As the Christ Church Anglican Cathedral is being rebuilt, historian Edmund Bohan is releasing a history of the distinctive Gothic building. It shows it was controversial even before work started on designing it, let alone building in. From the laying of the foundations to the official opening, it took 40 years, after squabbles over pretty much every aspect of its construction - not to mention the huge problems raising the money to build it in the City Centre. In Heart of the City: The Story of Christchurch's Controversial Cathedral, Edmund is critical of the former Anglican Bishop Victoria Matthews' determination to demolish the badly-damaged cathedral after the Canterbury earthquakes, to replace it with a modern church. And he tells Lynn Freeman he's very much looking forward to seeing the Cathedral restored to its former glory after a lengthy and pricey rebuild. But first he sets the scene. Back in the 1860s, there was controversy over where the cathedral should go, its design, whether it should be in stone or timber - even if there should be a cathedral built at all! Heart of the City: The Story of Christchurch's Controversial Cathedral, by Edmund Bohan is published by Quentin Wilson Publishing.
Photos taken in Richmond on March 25 following the February 22 earthquake. File reference: CCL-2011-03-25-Richmond-After-The-Earthquake-IMG_0392 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
Monday 16 April 2012. File reference: CCL-2012-04-16-IMG_1688 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Staff of The Drawing Room on Manchester Street decorate road cones with flowers. File reference: CCL-2012-02-22-IMG_9714 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Demolition crane near the Bridge of Remembrance. File reference: CCL-2011-08-12-CanterburyPublic Library pre-demolition-043 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
A photograph of a partially-demolished building in the Christchurch central city.
A photograph of a partially-demolished building in the Christchurch central city.
A photograph of a partially-demolished building in the Christchurch central city.