A walk in Christchurch

Took a walk from the Botanic Gardens to Restart mall and back today.

 

Started at the Gardens' with some Festival of Flowers displays. This rock is part of a labyrinth created by St Michaels and All Angels school pupils. Each stone has a message of cheer.

Somebody watches Star Trek!

 

Topiary giraffe under the monkey puzzle

 

$13 million dollars of earthquake-proofing was deemed a waste of money ten years ago. This is the Canterbury Museum, still standing very much intact. Ironically the worst part of this building was the new section built in the 1980's which had to be closed for some time.

 

 

The Arts Centre, the old University buildings, had little or no earthquake proofing, so damage has been extensive. Repairs have now really ramped up on this group of buildings.

 

 

The Classic Villa, a BnB, part of a little enclave of surviving heritage buildings at the park end of Worcester Street, over the road from the Arts Centre. Pretty in pink.

 

 

 

Gable ends of the old Boys' High School building are being reinforced with iron strapping, before being refaced with stone. The original stonework will be cut away to a quarter of its depth and used as a veneer over the reinforcement, so that the visual appearance of the buildings is maintained but will be much lighter and safer in future.

 

 

Pop-up shops, mostly relocated from the Arts Centre. There is a good bookshop at the end of this row.

 

 

"Stand strong, Christchurch" - these bricks were made from the silt from the liquefaction that bubbled up during the quakes.

 

 

These chimneys on the Canterbury Club building are modern lightweight replicas. One of these old-fashioned chimneys could weigh as much as three tonnes. A Christchurch firm now specialises in producing these.

 

 

This is not a good picture, it's taken from some interpretative information outside the Arts Centre, but showing how technology has helped with the repair and reconstruction of the buildings. Laser images taken all over the building at 5mm intervals give a very detailed survey of the building, then used by engineers to plan the reconstruction programme. One of the good things to come out of the quakes is the use of innovative technology. Unmanned drones similar to those used in warfare were sent inside buildings to assess damage - these were used inside the Christchurch Basilica and the Cathedral. And we have found out huge amounts about Victorian and Edwardian construction methods, along with hidden historical items and buildings. It's as if we are going backwards and forwards in time simultaneously!

 

 

I think this is the original building of the Canterbury Club. The Club was renovating the building when the earthquakes struck, but now it's like new.

 

 

A forest of bracing at the back of the old City Council building, Our City/Otautahi.

 

 

More bracing on the Worcester Street frontage. I hope this can be rebuilt, it's one of my favourites, and an unusual example of an Arts and Crafts-style public building.

 

 

This is an amazing vista for those that know it well. The heritage building in the middle-distance is the old Post Office. The whole block between it and the view-point has disappeared; this is a view that has not been seen before. Would to God the excrescence on the right will be demolished. What was the architect thinking? Hideous. Should never have been built.

 

To be continued.....