Christchurch, Quake city

Christchurch is a cross between a demolition site and a work in progress building site. It reminds me of the Manchester of my childhood with large empty spaces where bomb damage had been cleared leaving the land empty for 20 years. 

However Christchurch post quake has a certain buzz about it.  Building work is going on everywhere and large areas of road are closed for busy workmen and lorries while, on the other side of the street, empty department stores wait for action.  Meanwhile, a new 'city centre' (as it was described to me) has emerged.

The focus is, of course around the old cathedral and what will happen to it is now in the hands of the courts - will the Church be allowed to pull it down and build new, or will the old cathedral be saved and repaired. Certainly restoration would involve a great deal of effort and money. In the interim, nothing can be removed from the ruined church, to the dismay of the former congregation. 

Meanwhile, the 'cardboard cathedral' is a focus for visitors and locals and provides a venue for the Bishop's chair, one of the few items that has been rescued from the old cathedral. 

The transitional cathedral, it's other name, has other uses and while we were there, was being used for a bankers' dinner. According to our taxi driver there are proper structural wooden beams inside the cardboard tubes.

Nearby is the temporary memorial, to the 185 people who died in the 2011 quake, most of these were in a couple of office blocks that collapsed.

Empty stores around the city, presumably waiting to be demolished. 

The 'new city centre' buzzs. It is, quite simply, a shopping area made from shipping containers. Outdoor cafes are everywhere

Should you need a bank ....

The high street of the re-start mall.

Nearby is the war memorial, the bridge of rememberance with its impressive arch being restored 

 

The bridge itself is blocked by the work. 

It would lead into the botanical gardens, cricket  ground and golf courses of Hagley park. 

St Michael and All Angels church, close to the quake site, is built of wood and suffered no more than a broken window. 

On the way back, the cardboard cathedral had been restored to its use as a church and the choir were preparing for evensong

As we left  Christchurch I noticed this van - someone clearly knows where the work lies