Christchurch in 2015
January
Annus horribilis for farmers
The year started with farms in wider Canterbury region on the brink of a serious drought, and is ending with the most severe El Nino weather pattern in almost 50 years. Prospects of an even hotter and drier summer are looming over the farming community in and around Christchurch. Record drop in Fonterra's milk price forecast – which having touched $3.60/kgMS is hovering at $4.60/kgMS now – added to the distress throughout the year.
March
Hosts Te Matatini – the national Kapa Haka festival
Started in 1972, the five-day festival, themed “He ngakau aroha” this year, was held between March 4 and 8 at North Hagley Park in Christchurch. The theme was selected by Ngai Tahu – the principal iwi [tribe] of the country's South Island – in recognition of the support the city has received from other Maori tribes around the country. Of the 45 performing teams, Te Kapa Haka o Te Whanau an Apanui was the overall winner and won the coveted title of Toa Whakaihuwaka.
May
Christchurch Town Hall restoration
The decision to restore and repair Christchurch's earthquake-damaged Town Hall seemed possible when Deloittes declared the estimated costs to be within the City Council's budget. Later the Council voted to spend $127 million restoring the heritage-listed building by June 2018. The restored building will comply with the new building standards, and will have upgraded audio and lighting systems.
Cathedral Square rebuild stalls
Meanwhile, development plans around city's iconic but severely earthquake-damaged Cathedral Square kept on collapsing with no consensus in sight. With the $500 million convention centre also been pushed to 2018, and the newly-launched joint council-government entity Regenerate Christchurch announcing no plans for the Square as yet, people are hoping for 2016 to bring some good news.
June
CTV building engineer cleared
In a case that had caught the entire nation's attention since the 2011 Earthquake, Alan Reay of Christchurch design firm Alan Reay Consultants, responsible for the six-storey Canterbury Television building which collapsed in the earthquake claiming 115 lives, was cleared of all charges of misleading New Zealand's professional engineering body - The Institution of Professional Engineers (Ipenz). With this, the ongoing criminal investigation on the building collapse is yet to conclude whether anyone will be charged.
August
Earthquake Commission (EQC) débâcle
Contrary to its mandate, EQC faced a class action suit, and allegations of oversight on shabby repair works, nepotism and favouritism this year. A report into the Building Code compliance of earthquake repairs to Christchurch homes by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) revealed more than a third of the surveyed homes failed to meet the building code. Then, more than 100 Christchurch home-owners approached the High Court in a class action suit against the EQC. The Commission also faced negative media coverage all year long, especially as regards to a young claims assessor Nikki Kettle – daughter of Gail Kettle who is the general manager of customers and claims at EQC. Questions were raised on how Nikki, in-spite of facing scrutiny and internal investigations for her general conduct, technical decisions and conflict of interest, had continued in her role for so long.
September
Regenerate Christchurch
In a first for New Zealand, the Crown and Christchurch City Council outlined plans to establish Regenerate Christchurch (RC) - “a jointly owned and funded entity tasked with overseeing the long-term $40 billion development and enhancement of the Central City, residential red zone, New Brighton and other potential regeneration zones”. With a working mandate till 2021 – RC - headed by Andre Lovatt, will develop plans and strategies to assist with regeneration, monitor regeneration outcomes and interventions, as well as facilitate seamless investor experience. The Government later introduced the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill in the Parliament, which will replace the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011 expiring on April 26 next year.
December
A Great Place to Be
Every society needs hope; actually every society survives on hope. Especially a city still traumatised by the devastating February 2011 earthquake. Realising this, The Press, Christchurch's main newspaper, launched a campaign – A Great Place to Be – to carry forward “the optimistic spirit conjured up by Share an Idea, launched in May 2011 as a colourful, engaging way to get Christchurch residents to say what kind of future they wanted for their city, and which had seen more than 105,000 suggestions being shared within six weeks”.
January
Annus horribilis for farmers
The year started with farms in wider Canterbury region on the brink of a serious drought, and is ending with the most severe El Nino weather pattern in almost 50 years. Prospects of an even hotter and drier summer are looming over the farming community in...
January
Annus horribilis for farmers
The year started with farms in wider Canterbury region on the brink of a serious drought, and is ending with the most severe El Nino weather pattern in almost 50 years. Prospects of an even hotter and drier summer are looming over the farming community in and around Christchurch. Record drop in Fonterra's milk price forecast – which having touched $3.60/kgMS is hovering at $4.60/kgMS now – added to the distress throughout the year.
March
Hosts Te Matatini – the national Kapa Haka festival
Started in 1972, the five-day festival, themed “He ngakau aroha” this year, was held between March 4 and 8 at North Hagley Park in Christchurch. The theme was selected by Ngai Tahu – the principal iwi [tribe] of the country's South Island – in recognition of the support the city has received from other Maori tribes around the country. Of the 45 performing teams, Te Kapa Haka o Te Whanau an Apanui was the overall winner and won the coveted title of Toa Whakaihuwaka.
May
Christchurch Town Hall restoration
The decision to restore and repair Christchurch's earthquake-damaged Town Hall seemed possible when Deloittes declared the estimated costs to be within the City Council's budget. Later the Council voted to spend $127 million restoring the heritage-listed building by June 2018. The restored building will comply with the new building standards, and will have upgraded audio and lighting systems.
Cathedral Square rebuild stalls
Meanwhile, development plans around city's iconic but severely earthquake-damaged Cathedral Square kept on collapsing with no consensus in sight. With the $500 million convention centre also been pushed to 2018, and the newly-launched joint council-government entity Regenerate Christchurch announcing no plans for the Square as yet, people are hoping for 2016 to bring some good news.
June
CTV building engineer cleared
In a case that had caught the entire nation's attention since the 2011 Earthquake, Alan Reay of Christchurch design firm Alan Reay Consultants, responsible for the six-storey Canterbury Television building which collapsed in the earthquake claiming 115 lives, was cleared of all charges of misleading New Zealand's professional engineering body - The Institution of Professional Engineers (Ipenz). With this, the ongoing criminal investigation on the building collapse is yet to conclude whether anyone will be charged.
August
Earthquake Commission (EQC) débâcle
Contrary to its mandate, EQC faced a class action suit, and allegations of oversight on shabby repair works, nepotism and favouritism this year. A report into the Building Code compliance of earthquake repairs to Christchurch homes by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) revealed more than a third of the surveyed homes failed to meet the building code. Then, more than 100 Christchurch home-owners approached the High Court in a class action suit against the EQC. The Commission also faced negative media coverage all year long, especially as regards to a young claims assessor Nikki Kettle – daughter of Gail Kettle who is the general manager of customers and claims at EQC. Questions were raised on how Nikki, in-spite of facing scrutiny and internal investigations for her general conduct, technical decisions and conflict of interest, had continued in her role for so long.
September
Regenerate Christchurch
In a first for New Zealand, the Crown and Christchurch City Council outlined plans to establish Regenerate Christchurch (RC) - “a jointly owned and funded entity tasked with overseeing the long-term $40 billion development and enhancement of the Central City, residential red zone, New Brighton and other potential regeneration zones”. With a working mandate till 2021 – RC - headed by Andre Lovatt, will develop plans and strategies to assist with regeneration, monitor regeneration outcomes and interventions, as well as facilitate seamless investor experience. The Government later introduced the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill in the Parliament, which will replace the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011 expiring on April 26 next year.
December
A Great Place to Be
Every society needs hope; actually every society survives on hope. Especially a city still traumatised by the devastating February 2011 earthquake. Realising this, The Press, Christchurch's main newspaper, launched a campaign – A Great Place to Be – to carry forward “the optimistic spirit conjured up by Share an Idea, launched in May 2011 as a colourful, engaging way to get Christchurch residents to say what kind of future they wanted for their city, and which had seen more than 105,000 suggestions being shared within six weeks”.
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