
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.
The basement of the "Price Waterhouse" building after demolition after the Christchurch earthquakes...
“Jog on, jog on, the footpath way. And cheerily hent the stile, A merry heart goes all the way, Your sad tires in a mile.” — “A Winter’s Tale,” Sheakespeare. Such is t…
Nearly two years' after Christchurch's February earthquake and almost 6 months after the blueprint for the city centre was revealed, many questions remain about how much it will cost and who will pay for it.
The Canterbury earthquakes caused huge amounts of damage to Christchurch and the surrounding area and presented a very challenging situation for both insurers and claimants. While tourism has suffered significant losses as a result, particularly due to the subsequent decrease in visitor numbers, the Canterbury region was very fortunate to have high levels of insurance coverage. This report, based on data gathered from tourism operators on the ground in Canterbury, looks at how this sector has been affected by the quakes, claims patterns, and the behaviour and perceptions of tourism operators about insurance.
During 2010 and 2011, a series of major earthquakes caused widespread damage in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. The magnitude 6.3 quake in February 2011 caused 185 fatalities. In the ensuing months, the government progressively zoned residential land in Christchurch on the basis of its suitability for future occupation (considering damage from these quakes and future earthquake risk). Over 6,000 homes were placed in the ‘red-zone’, meaning that property owners were forced to sell their land to the Crown. This study analysed patterns of residential mobility amongst thirty-one red-zone households from the suburb of Southshore, Christchurch. Drawing on interviews and surveys, the research traced their experience from the zoning announcement until they had moved to a new residence. The research distinguished between short (before the zoning announcement) and long term (post the red zone ‘deadline’) forms of household relocation. The majority of households in the study were highly resistant to short term movement. Amongst those which did relocate before the zoning decision, the desire to maintain a valued social connection with a person outside of the earthquake environment was often an important factor. Some households also moved out of perceived necessity (e.g. due to lack of power or water). In terms of long-term relocation, concepts of affordability and safety were much more highly valued by the sample when purchasing post-quake property. This resulted in a distinct patterning of post-quake housing location choices. Perceived control over the moving process, relationship with government organisations and insurance companies, and time spent in the red-zone before moving all heavily influenced participants’ disaster experience. Contrary to previous studies, households in this study recorded higher levels of subjective well-being after relocating. The study proposed a typology of movers in the Christchurch post-disaster environment. Four mobility behaviours, or types, are identified: the Committed Stayers (CSs), the Environment Re-Creators (ERCs), the Resigned Acceptors (RAs), and the Opportunistic Movers (OMs). The CSs were defined by their immobility rather than their relocation aspirations, whilst the ERCs attempted to recreate or retain aspects of Southshore through their mobility. The RAs expressed a form of apathy towards the post-quake environment, whereas, on the other hand, the OMs moved relative to pre-earthquake plans, or opportunities that arose from the earthquake itself. Possibilities for further research include examining household adaptability to new residential environments and tracking further mobility patterns in the years following relocation from the red- zone.
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A sculpture on Poplar Lane visible from High Street after the surrounding buildings were demolished.
Christchurch airport's annual profit has fallen 6 per cent after losing nearly half a million passengers following the earthquakes.
A support group is being credited for helping Cantabrians settle in Nelson after escaping the earthquakes.
The mirrors from Sergio's Menswear are still intact on the wall of the adjoining building after the demolition of Sergio's.
The building which formerly housed the Coffee Club on High Street, standing alone after surrounding buildings have been demolished.
The mirrors from Sergio's Menswear are still intact on the wall of the adjoining building after the demolition of Sergio's.
The building which formerly housed the Coffee Club on High Street, standing alone after surrounding buildings have been demolished.
The old post office building in Cathedral Square, now visible from Hereford Street after the demolition of the ANZ building.
The mirrors from Sergio's Menswear are still intact on the wall of the adjoining building after the demolition of Sergio's.
The building which formerly housed the Coffee Club on High Street, standing alone after surrounding buildings have been demolished.
The same view as the previous photo. Building demolished after the earthquake of 2011!
The Earthquake Commission has been labelled obstructive after it demanded 24 thousand dollars to provide documents under an Official Information Act request.
Professor Andrew Barrie discusses an exhibition that comes up with ways to keep Christchurch communities together after the loss of so many earthquake damaged parish churches.
After six years leading Christchurch, three of them since the first Canterbury earthquake, Bob Parker is packing up his office and hanging up the Mayoral chains today.
A group of frustrated Christchurch homeowners is vowing to keep holding their insurer accountable after making limited progress with outstanding claims for earthquake damage.
Sandwiched between the White Hart Hotel and the Universal Boot Depot at 223 and 225 High Street, was the business founded by Mr James Freeman, pastry cook and caterer. After browsing through Messrs…
A property expert says a dramatic shift in the population north and west of Christchurch after the earthquakes has serious implications for council's rate take.
The back of the facade of the Excelsior Hotel, preserved after the demolition of the hotel. It is being supported by wooden bracing and shipping containers.
The back of the facade of the Excelsior Hotel, preserved after the demolition of the hotel. It is being supported by wooden bracing and shipping containers.
Today is census day; the first nationwide stocktake in seven years after the census was called off in 2011 because of the February earthquake in Christchurch.
Blog of Sandy Lees, a genealogist, taphophiliac, and ephemera collector. Reflects her interest in Canterbury history. Includes a section on the insurance woes the blogger had after the Christchurch earthquakes.
A photograph of a set of ten paintings by Julia Holden. The paintings are of different sites in the central city, after the earthquake.
A photograph of a set of ten paintings by Julia Holden. The paintings are of different sites in the central city, after the earthquake.