News archive

Apr 2: Story Festival – Tales at the Pallet Pavilion April 5-7

Come along and join us in celebrating and exploring the magic of story and it’s role in our daily lives. There’ll be awesome performances by various local artists and you too can be part of sharing stories and creating collective stories with words and music! All ages and all experiences! Click here for an electronic [...]

Red-zoned garage owners to stay

The owners of the red-zoned garage in two minds about whether to abandon their quake-damaged land have made a decision - they're staying.

Elderly Widow in the Red Zone by Rev. Mike Coleman

FREE DE-STRESS Course

11-14 April Thurs & Fri – 6.30pm – 8.30pm Sat & Sun 10am – 2.30pm Benefits, Tension-free body, Anxiety-free mind, Emotional stability Heightened mental clarity and awareness, Increased energy levels Over 900 Cantabrians have benefitted since September 2010 To register · free call: 0508 Artofliving 0508 2786 354 · email canterbury@artofliving.org.nz · go to www.artofliving.org.nz

McDow snap up For Real recruit

Gregory had his life all mapped out, and has done so for the past 31 years. Like many he lived through the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, he picked up the pieces of his life and he carried on best he …

MacDow snap up For Real recruit

Gregory Gregory Parker had his life all mapped out, and has done so for the past 31 years. Like many he lived through the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, he picked up the pieces of his life and he carried on …

Coastal train suspended after big losses

A dramatic post-quake drop in Christchurch tourism has forced KiwiRail to suspend its Coastal Pacific train service for the winter.

Consenting process begins for next stage of Western Corridor

HIVE celebration

This weekend the HIVE Christchurch celebrates its first year as the country’s leading Home Innovation Village.

D-day for Christchurch red-zone owners

Christchurch's red-zone land owners have just hours before the deadline for the Government's buy-out offer passes.The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has offered those with undeveloped, commercial or uninsured properties...

Buyout offer deadline today for red-zoners

It's D-Day in Canterbury today for red-zoners to accept the Government's offer to buy their homes.

'Bring on the bulldozers', say red-zoners

A red-zoned Brooklands couple have told the Government: "We're staying - bring on the bulldozers."

Life 'paradise' worth the risks

A red-zoned Brooklands couple have told the Government: "We're staying - bring on the bulldozers."

Gym may not be spared after all

Les Mills, Calendar Girls and the former Inland Revenue building are among buildings set to be bought by the Crown as part of the Government's plans for Christchurch's new eastern frame.

Tenants dismayed by plan to level new building

Tammy and Mike Bell waited for the release of the central-city blueprint before signing a lease on a new building.

Elderly pensioner's red zone nightmare

CCDU flip-flops again. New-CBD-buildings-to-be-demolished

The insanity of CERA/CCDU continues. Westende House,  a brand new, tenanted building in Manchester Street (130% of the New Building code) to be demolished for a wider roadway. 

CCDU flip-flops again. New-CBD-building-to-be-demolished

The insanity of CERA/CCDU continues. Westende House,  a brand new, tenanted building in Manchester Street (130% of the New Building code) to be demolished for a wider roadway.   Another CERA/CCDU “flip-flop”.  You can not trust what they say.  And expect …

Locked out of undamaged factory for 764 days….

Land Grab In Christchurch

Disabled Kiwis left behind by quake plans

Large parts of the country's building stock will be off-limits for disabled people under a proposal to trim the cost of upgrading thousands of earthquake-prone buildings, advocacy groups have warned.One of the lesser-known changes...

Commissioner's red-zone plea ignored

A decision not to extend the deadline for accepting Government red-zone offers is an "opportunity lost", the Human Rights Commissioner says.

Red-zone uproar over late advice

Christchurch landowners who accept a 50 per cent offer for their vacant, uninsured or commercial red-zone properties can still take legal action against the Government.

Tribute to Avonside - Holy Trinity Avonside

For those who, like Julie, weren’t able to be in Avonside today. Holy Trinity Avonside hosted a service of thanksgiving this afternoon remembering and giving thanks for life in Avonside. After the service there was afternoon and a wide range of photo boards showing different aspects of Avonside from over the last 100 or more years. Photographs and the order of service are below. To Rosalyn

Red zone dairy closes after 100 years

After 100 years, the dairy in Horseshoe Lake is closing thanks to the Christchurch earthquake.

Day 766 - Larcome Vineyard donates

Larcome Vineyard and Restauraunt today donated 6 Bain Marie pans to Addington Action. The stainless steel pans were originally won on Trademe but when picking up earlier today, the owners decided to not accept payment when they found out the pans were for Addington Action's mobile catering for feeding the troops.

Letter 2 from the Leader of the Labour Party, David Shearer

Filed under: Uncategorized

Revealed: The man behind the EQC leaks story

Tearing up the town

The man who revealed embarrassing EQC leaks says he's not a fighter by nature, but, as he tells Martin van Beynen, he's sick of how Christchurch's quake victims have been treated.

Maps of lateral spreading and other earthquake effects in Avonside

Courtesy of a blog reader I have discovered a Tonkin & Taylor report on lateral spread in the Avonside Area. The full title is Appendix M: Avonside study area – lateral spreading. The EQC website is currently closed however you can download it from here. On the same website, but this page here, is more geotechnical information arising from the Liquefaction Vulnerability Study (mentioned on the

Christchurch CBD frozen in time

A videogame arcade with its roof fractured to the sky, a pub with glasses still hanging neatly above the bar and a sign promoting the Rugby World Cup 2011.

Day 765 - assessing homes for free repairs

Dianne Fitzgerald is now in charge of assessing all uninsured homes that need free repairs.

The recent monthly meeting of Addington Action voted that Dianne be in charge and she will be hand picking a team from amoung Addington Action members to assist her in this task.

All existing homes currently underway for repair or on the waiting list will be visited by Dianne over the coming months and given a priority ranking. The homes will then be fixed in that order by the repair crew. A ...

Repair option gives way to grass

A $32-million hotel in the heart of the Christchurch CBD will be bought by the Government and demolished to make way for grassland in what operators and owners say is a waste of money and opportunity.

Payout may be Australasia's biggest

Lyttelton Port of Christchurch's stalled insurance claim "is potentially the largest ever in Australasian history", new information reveals.

Green dreams for river red zone

A network of citizen groups have a thousand dreams for the residential red zone along the Avon River. WILL HARVIE walks the zone to see what it might look like if Cera and the Government permit the dreamers to act.

Advocacy service for quake claims mooted

A voluntary register where people can give details of the status of their post-quake insurance claims may be set up by the Christchurch City Council.

Engineers to face tougher regulations

Engineers are going to be more stringently regulated as a result of the CTV building collapse.

Zoning kills price - valuers

Government policy, not the earthquakes, has made land in Christchurch's residential red zone almost worthless, valuers say.

Red-zoner wants to stay put

An elderly woman would rather "go to Heaven" than face leaving her home of almost 70 years, which is now in the red-zone.

Red-zoner wants to stay put

An elderly woman would rather "go to Heaven" than face leaving her home of almost 70 years, which is now in the red-zone.

Tuesday deadline on offers

Nearly 300 red-zoners have not accepted a Crown offer of compensation for their land with just three days until the offer expires.

Repair option gives way to grass

A $32-million hotel in the heart of the Christchurch CBD will be bought by the Government and demolished to make way for grassland in what operators and owners say is a waste of money and opportunity.

Payout may be Australasia's biggest

Lyttelton Port of Christchurch's stalled insurance claim "is potentially the largest ever in Australasian history", new information reveals.

Red zone shrinks as barriers come down

Christchurch's central city red zone is a little smaller after the opening of some of the barricades.

Glass 'sculpture' complex given the all clear

Plans for a $100 million sculptural glass complex for Christchurch's Triangle Centre site have been given the go-ahead.

Glass 'sculpture' complex given the all clear

Plans for a $100 million sculptural glass complex for Christchurch's Triangle Centre site have been given the go-ahead.

New CBD building to be demolished

The first inner-city building to emerge in post-earthquake Christchurch will be demolished despite the Government suggesting it would remain.

New CBD building to be demolished

The first inner-city building to emerge in post-earthquake Christchurch will be demolished despite the Government suggesting it would remain.

Zoning kills price - valuers

Government policy, not the earthquakes, has made land in Christchurch's residential red zone almost worthless, valuers say.

Red zone cordon relaxed to let students in

The cordon around Christchurch's red zone has been relaxed to allow tertiary students into the city centre next week.The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) last night reduced the cordon on Hereford St and upper High...

Freezing of EQC's email 'unprecedented'

The government's freezing of EQC's email system is unprecedented for an entire organisation, an IT expert says.Gerry Brownlee has put the Earthquake Commission's computer system in lock down after a second security breach was uncovered...

BNZ now offers loans and insurance for new TC3 homes

The Bank of New Zealand now provides a full package of home loans and insurance for newly built homes in all Christchurch locations, except the red zone. This includes newly built TC3 homes. “This is the first time we’ve been …

Blue's views

Oh, hai there :)

Thanks for dropping by. As you can see, I really like the new pad - especially the deck. I think the humans have done rather well.

But, I have to tell you, there have been some strange things going on lately. Firstly, mum spent ages putting up all these little marker flags on the walls & ceilings, and then she got grumpy at me when I proved to be awesome at catching them. I liked the ones halfway up the wall... they were especially fun.

I'm not entirely ...

Gap Filler’s Hidden Talent Show

Got a special talent to share with the world? Can you play the spoons? Do a magic trick? Impersonate a celebrity? Well have we got the event for you. Enter Gap Filler’s Hidden Talent Show at the Pallet Pavilion on Saturday April 13 to share your talent with the world AND go in the running [...]

Mar 28: Gap Filler’s Hidden Talent Show

Got a special talent to share with the world? Can you play the spoons? Do a magic trick? Impersonate a celebrity? Well have we got the event for you. Enter Gap Filler’s Hidden Talent Show at the Pallet Pavilion on Saturday April 13 to share your talent with the world AND go in the running [...]

Day 764 - fruit & veggie orders

There are 408 orders from 18 of the 22 CSFVC distribution centers for fruit and veggie packs next week. These will be packed and distributed on Wednesday 3 April.

   1 Addington Action
11 Addington School
25 Burnham
  6 Comcare Addington
28 Discovery
28 Eureka St
  0 Hoon Hay Presbyterian
  0 Kidsfirst Selwyn St
37 Manuka Cottage
50 Opawa Baptist
27 Parker St
22 Reformed Church in Hornby
11 Riccarton Community Church
  ...

Part of Christchurch cordon to be lifted

The cordon in Christchurch's central city rebuild zone will be reduced today.

Council sells building to preschool for $1

City councillors have voted to sell an earthquake-prone building it owns in Farrington Ave to the Bishopdale Community Preschool for $1.

Historic copper dome mystery unsolved

Police have had to concede defeat in an investigation into the disappearance of a historic copper dome which toppled off a building in the February 2011 earthquake.

Anchor projects may change - Marryatt

Some changes to the scope of the anchor projects outlined in the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan could be on the cards.