Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Scarborough cliffs walking track is closed because of cliff erosion".
A photograph of volunteers digging soil to construct a BMX track.
In February of 2011, an earthquake destroyed the only all-weather athletics track in the city of Christchurch (New Zealand). The track has yet to be replaced, and so since the loss of the track, local Christchurch athletes have only had a grass track for training and preparation for championship events. This paper considers what effect the loss of the training facility has had on the performance of athletes from Christchurch at national championship events. Not surprisingly, the paper finds that there has been a deterioration in the performance in events that are heavily dependent upon the all-weather surface. However, somewhat more surprisingly, the loss of the track appears to have caused a significant improvement in the performance of Christchurch athletes in events that, while on the standard athletics program, are not heavily track dependent.
A photograph of children cycling on the Fulton Hogan BMX Pump Track.
A photograph of a sign describing the Fulton Hogan BMX Pump Track.
Photos taken in Lyttelton following the February 22 earthquake. File ref: CCL-2011-03-05-After-The-Earthquake-P1110439 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries
A photograph of volunteers who contributed to building a BMX track on an empty site on Colombo Street.
A photograph of the Fulton Hogan BMX Pump Track. A mural on the wall reads, 'Pump it!'.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Heathcote Valley entrance to the Bridal Track to Lyttelton was closed for a year because of the danger of falling rocks. It opened on the morning of December 23. The earthquake at lunchtime then closed it again when more rocks fell".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The Heathcote Valley entrance to the Bridle Track to Lyttelton was closed for a year because of the danger of falling rocks. It opened on the morning of December 23. The earthquake at lunchtime then closed it again when more rocks fell".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "DOC Walkway track sign with 'track closed' notice, Taylors Mistake".
A goods train stopped on the track beside SH71 near Rangiora. Trains were unable to run until buckled tracks were inspected and repaired.
Photo of Poynters track taken by Kate Roughan, 8 September 2010.
A goods train stopped on the track beside SH71 near Rangiora. Trains were unable to run until buckled tracks were inspected and repaired.
A goods train stopped on the track beside SH71 near Rangiora. Trains were unable to run until buckled tracks were inspected and repaired.
A goods train stopped on the track beside SH71 near Rangiora. Trains were unable to run until buckled tracks were inspected and repaired.
A goods train stopped on the track beside SH71 near Rangiora. Trains were unable to run until buckled tracks were inspected and repaired.
A goods train stopped on the track beside SH71 near Rangiora. Trains were unable to run until buckled tracks were inspected and repaired.
A crane lifts containers off a goods train stopped on the track beside SH71 near Rangiora. Trains were unable to run until buckled tracks were inspected and repaired.
A crane lifts containers off a goods train stopped on the track beside SH71 near Rangiora. Trains were unable to run until buckled tracks were inspected and repaired.
Resilience and community spirit have shone through in North Canterbury in the aftermath of the earthquake. With no active civil defence post in operation in Cheviot in the days after the 7.8 quake, a group of locals mobilised a task force to support those in need. Further north at Mendip Hills Station farm manager Simon Lee has been repairing broken water pipes and clearing slips in time for weaning, while on Ben Lissington's dairy farm near Waiau, milk tankers are having to go off the beaten track to get to the rotary shed after a six metre section of the road was destroyed.
Christchurch was struck by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake on the 22 February 2011. The quake devastated the city, taking lives and causing widespread damage to the inner city and suburban homes. The central city lost over half its buildings and over 7000 homes were condemned throughout Christchurch. The loss of such a great number of homes has created the requirement for new housing to replace those that were lost. Many of which were located in the eastern, less affluent, suburbs. The response to the housing shortage is the planned creation of large scale subdivisions on the outskirts of the city. Whilst this provides the required housing it creates additional sprawl to a city that does not need it. The extension of Christchurch’s existing suburban sprawl puts pressure on roading and pushes residents further out of the city, creating a disconnection between them. Christchurch’s central city had a very small residential population prior to the earthquakes with very few options for dense inner city living. The proposed rebuild of the inner city calls for a new ‘dense, vibrant and diverse central hub’. Proposing the introduction of new residential units within the central city. However the placement of the low-rise housing in a key attribute of the rebuild, the eastern green ‘Frame’, diminishes its value as open green space. The proposed housing will also be restrictive in its target market and therefore the idea of a ‘vibrant’ inner city is difficult to achieve. This thesis acts as response to the planned rebuild of inner Christchurch. Proposing the creation of a model for inner city housing which provides an alternative option to the proposed housing and existing and ongoing suburban sprawl. The design options were explored through a design-led process were the options were critiqued and developed. The ‘final’ proposal is comprises of three tall towers, aptly named the Triple Towers, which condense the proposed low-rise housing from an 11000 square metre footprint to combined footprint of 1500 square metres. The result is an expansion of the publicly available green space along the proposed eastern frame of the city. The height of the project challenges the height restrictions and is provocative in its proposal and placement. The design explores the relationships between the occupants, the building, the ‘Frame’ and the central city. The project is discussed through an exploration of the architecture of Rem Koolhaas, Renzo Piano and Oscar Niemeyer. Rather than their architecture being taken as a direct influence on which the design is based the discussion revolves around how and why each piece of comparative architecture is relevant to the designs desired outcome.
The Christchurch City Council has voted to fast track the demolition of two heritage buildings that it says were severely damaged in September's earthquake and pose an immediate danger to people's safety.
A photograph of the earthquake damage down New Regent Street. The tiles around the tram tracks have lifted all along the street.
The removal of rubble from the earthquake-stricken centre of Christchurch will start again today, once the worst of the ice in the central city melts.
A photograph of a large crack in the pavement of New Regent Street, near the tram tracks. Many of the pavement tiles have fallen into the crack.
A PDF copy of pages 206-207 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Fulton Hogan BMX Pump Track'. Page 206 photos: Irene Boles. Page 207 photos: Peter Walker, Three Chairs Photography. With permission from Student Volunteer Army Foundation.
A photograph of street art on a fence beside the railway tracks, near the Durham Street overbridge. The photographer attributes the work to Devos and Noose.
How did people get around Christchurch in the 19th century? People certainly walked, or rode, perhaps on a horse, or in a wheeled vehicle pulled by a horse, such as a dray, gig, hackney, or hansom. And let’s not forget … Continue reading →
Following the 5.8 and 6.0 quakes of 23/12/11 there is further damage to the track separating the Bexley Wetlands from the Pacific Park housing area.