New Christchurch

Blueprints have just come out for the rebuild of the CBD. I think I hate it, it's just so contrived. The best part old cities is how they have all buildings of all ages scattered through them; Christchurch is going to be so boringly uniform now, just the sort of thing that government bureaucrats would design. It will also mean more demolitions, as the Plan will have to be accomodated. And one of the few surviving heritage buildings (NG Gallery) is to be demolished for a f...ing sports stadium. Well done, philistines, you've won. There is going to be a new performing arts centre, supposedly, but no one quite knows where it will be yet. I'll bet anything that the new sports stadium gets built before anything for the performing arts. Rugby maniacs will be rubbing their hands together with glee.  And of course there's the obligatory convention centre and posh hotels, where government junketers and carpetbaggers can take their whores on tax-payer funded "fact-finding" missions.  Christchurch: the city where middle-aged white men go to play.  Rage and despair, rage and despair.