Day 365 - Inside information on EQC’s practices

Today’s Press has an opinion piece by ;builder Gideon Cooper, who worked as an estimator for EQC. Now, back working as a builder, he has put some of his experiences in writing.

The following is quoted from part of the story about iPads:
You can read the article , to have many of your experiences validated and suspicions confirmed.

Post earthquake Christchurch – the upside. No 1

Thursday 23 February 2012 – CCC Communications

Day 365 - Bob and Phil the builders

This morning Tony, Phil, Bob and Mike finished plastering room and patched a floor.


In the afternoon, the crew visited another house to plan rebuilding a collapsed bathroom.

What Would You Wish For?

Day 364 - and one year later..

Alan Hudson a member of Addington Action


Lynette, Tony, Deb, Bob, Katie and Tracy with Christchurch Earthquake Award given to Addington Action.

Urban myths debunked

We keep hearing a persistent rumour that our reinsurers have paid us out in full,and we’re avoiding paying claims so we can earn interest on this money.

The truth is we want the rebuild to get underway as much as anyone! In fact, we do not receive reinsurance money until after we have paid out on a claim, and we are definitely not holding back huge sums of money to earn interest.

Since September 2010 IAG has paid out over $900 million to its State, NZI, Lantern Insurance an ...

Day 363 - Bob the Builder is now in town

Bob the builder (from Oz), Deb and Mike gib stopped a room in Hutcheson St. 2 more coats of plaster and then painting and then carpet to go. The plan is to move the lady of the house into her new bedroom by the end of this week. Then gut the next room so a dehumidifier can dry it out over the next month before it gets redone.





TV3 filmed interviews with Bob and Mike for Campbell Live. Maybe on tonight??

Then at the end of the day - the whole crew plus Tracy attended ...

CERA video - property demolitions in the residential Red Zone

Day 363 - Govt eyes blind to housing crisis

By Bernard Hickey

New Zealand faces two crises, and one opportunity that the Government seems either ignorant of or unwilling to address.

The first crisis is of housing supply in two regions. Auckland and Christchurch now have huge shortages of waterproof and undamaged homes that regular families can afford to own.

The problem is set to get much worse in the years to come, given the lack of building happening and the population increase projected.

The Depa ...

Young Parent Expo

It’s for Young Mums and Dads (pregnant or parenting), their Whanau, Nanas and Granddads-to-be and for people who support Young Parents.

Places where we can Remember, together

Mark Gibson, pastor at Union Church, founder of The River of Life and driving force behind the shared with us via facebook

Free financial advice for Canterbury red zone residents

The Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income (formally the Retirement Commission) today launched a free financial advice service for Red Zone residents. As part of the service it is possible to book a free consultation with a professional financial adviser via a CERA hub. CERA Earthquake Assistance Centre: Corner Breezes and Wainoni Roads, Avondale - 0800 7464 2372. Kaiapoi

Day 362 - two worlds - two viewpoints

Today was a day of lessons

Addington Action had applied to the MSD Canterbury Earthquake Community Response Fund for resources to rent a building to use as a material depot, repair workshop, food bank distribution depot, office to take calls requesting help and a place to provide lunch for the volunteers each day. This depot would enable more work to be done by the local community to help elderly, disabled and single parent families with young kids who have missed out on any government as ...

Day 362 - greetings from Cuba

visited Addington today.

She visited the Christchurch South Community Gardens and will be speaking at a public meeting tonight organised by the .

Apportionment - is EQC now your insurance company?

Remembering a Day

It's a day that will no doubt be filled with 400,000 stories of 'what if'.  Mine, like many others, starts similarly.  It was a grey dreary day, I was at home with my children.  The heavy clouds blanketed the city, it was easy to change our plans.  My daughter slept, longer than usual, and rather than rouse her from her beautiful sleep (as would usually happen when catering to the first child's needs) I thought -let her be.  So we stayed at home rather than going in to t ...

Engineers on the Canterbury earthquakes and building earthquake-resilient cities

Day 359 Hendersons Rd bathroom

Today went a very easy - putting more undercoat on a bathroom in Hendersons Rd in between throwing the ball for the resident dog.



Followed by a recce of Hoon Hay to suss out what might need doing.

Followed by Lynette and Mike filling in forms to open trade accounts with suppliers. Addington Action is now incorporated and hopefully will soon be a registered charity. Making the requirement for the Lynette the Treasurer to pay the bills rather Mike the Organiser writing out ch ...

Developing a Plan

Thanks to the internet I manage to keep up to date with what's going on in the world outside of my own garden.  While I might not be able to tell you much about the state of affairs of the Euro I certainly try to keep abreast of our local community news.  I read online press and ezines and I troll social media sites almost daily.  It was thanks to a friend on facebook that I found out the latest .
Do we need to read between the lines? Or do we need to act ourselves...

Communities learn the good life can be a killer

Developers in the last half-century called it progress when they built homes and shopping malls far from city centers throughout the country, sounding the death knell for many downtowns. But now an alarmed cadre of public health experts say these expanded metropolitan areas have had a far more serious impact on the people who live there by creating vehicle-dependent environments that foster obesity, poor health, social isolation, excessive stress and depression.

Cathedral Update

Bishop Victoria Matthews has issued a statement on the state of affairs with the Cathedral. A PDF version of the statement along with photographs is here. The significant damage to the Anglican Christchurch Cathedral was exacerbated further in the earthquakes of 23 December 2011 and has set back our decision-making about the future of the Cathedral. This update is part of our communication

Day 358 - Campbell Live arrive

9am and 5 turned up for the work crew today. Lynette, Tracy, Peter, Marina and Mike came to work and to be filmed and interviewed by Campbell Live for a programme to air next Tuesday.

We went and worked on an uninsured place on Parlane St belonging to Mr Chick. The reporter Jendy Harper, interviewed all of the crew. They are coming back to film Bob the Builder and friends on Tuesday as they rebuild.

Then a bit more paint prep on the Christchurch South Community Gardens building, fo ...

Planters from pallets

SCIRT update on Edgeware Rd

Edgeware Rd Update – Works Notice 15 Feb 12

Janine Starks looks at the various shades of grey in a green-blue zoning conundrum and sees nothing but red-tape and trouble

Financial support available

Earthquake Royal Commission - Department of Building & Housing submission on engineering competence

Day 357 - green fingers day

Alex from Ace4WD fixed a brake light trailer wiring intermittent problem with a smile.

Winter Assistance Grant from Red Cross

The aim of this grant is to assist vulnerable households who are living in homes significantly damaged by the earthquakes, or who have had to move into damp or hard to heat accommodation. The significant damage must include serious compromise to the heating and/or insulation of the home. This grant assists households with their electricity bills over the months of June, July, August and September 2012.

Visit Red Cross website  Download Grant Application Form

Generosity Day

In our house, as per the French tradition, we celebrate certain for example, our son's middle name is Valentino, so his is Valentine's Day; there's plenty of room for romance and gift giving elsewhere. I'm often bothered by holidays that have come to be called 'hallmark occasions' and feel immense commercial pressure to succumb to advertising, merchandising and suggestive feel-good music often played in shopping malls.  (It's one of the reason I love shopping locally in our open- ...

“Big Bike Fix Ups”

As part of Bike Wise month activities, the council has given some money for four “Big Bike Fix Ups”. If your bike needs some attention, bring it along to one of these workshops and the mechanics will tune it up for you.  Generally all fix ups will be free of charge. If some jobs need expensive replacements parts, you will be expected to pay for them.

Day 356 - not only food parcels

Tuesday is the day for ordering and picking up food parcels for delivery to hungry families affected by the social impacts of the quakes.

The morning started with a visit to Community Energy Action out at New Brighton to see if it is possible to insulate damaged uninsured homes in our area as we are repairing them. Seems all possible so will start to act on this offer.

Then an interview by Peter Luke who is writing an article for CERA's next monthly insert that goes in The Press. C ...

Notes from the Red Zone meeting on the 13th of February

For those who couldn't make it to the Red Zone meeting last night the following is a summary from my notes and recollection. There were 6 topics for the evening: Zoning criteria (Mike Shatford) What has happened to the land (Mike Jacka from T&T) The Crown Offer (Michelle Mitchell)  The Property Clearance process (Michelle Mitchell)  Support Available (Michelle Mitchell)  Questions (Michelle

Day 356 - Megan Woods make her maiden speech

Feb 14: Playtime – an outdoor cinema/temporary architecture project (#16)

(in association with the New Zealand/France Friendship Fund)   LOCATION: 266 St Asaph Street, city. Cnr Madras and St Asaph Streets SCHEDULE: Sat 17 March, 8pm – Grand opening / Playtime (1967, 126mins) - introduced by Dr Jessica Halliday, architectural historian   Sun 18 March, 8pm – Jour de Fete (1948, 70mins) - introduced by [...]

Green Zone categories – NB most of St Albans is Blue or TC3

Attention all garage salers – help please

A Garage Sale  was held at Mersey St on 28 January 2012.  Were you there?

Attention all garge salers – help please

A Garage Sale  was held at Mersey St on 28 January 2012.  Were you there?

CanCERN – TC3 update

TC3 INFORMATION – A small group met with the CERA Communications Team this week to discuss TC3 information needs. The overriding sentiment was that residents expect CERA to pull together all of the information and make sense of it in a comprehensive manner. There is a lot of contradicting information coming from different agencies which residents would like CERA to make clearer. The group asked that CERA make robust statements regarding geo-tech assessments, remediation methodologies,

UC Public Earthquake Lecture Series

If you missed the 2011 Earthquake Lecture series, you can view the lectures

Day 355 - Hagley night classes

has great night classes for adults running all year.

The


After Three gives people the opportunity to study a wide range of Hagley’s courses away from their daytime commitments. To minimise barriers for adult learners there is no enrolment fee to study the After Three programme.


Courses are particularly suitable for adult learners who may be looking to transition into a new career, wishing to upskill, or just wanting to learn a new skill that they’ve always talked ...

on yer bike

This month is Bike Wise Month.  How often do you ride a bike?  Not only is cycling fun, but cyclists (and I'm not meaning the lycra wearing, high-speed folk) are much more likely to live a long and happy life.  Even with a keen easterly, New Brighton cyclists are a happy lot.
Personally, I'm not really the sporty type~ if I can't be carrying my handbag at the same time then it's just not happening for me.  But on my bike?  You betcha!  On my bike I can carry my h ...

Day 355 - office catchup day

Mondays are now set aside to find volunteers, money, equipment and following up on jobs to be done for residents.

A fare bit of fundraising and organising is underway to support a 3 year earthquake recovery project in this area. There is a lot to do for people in a bad way who have missed out on any government help following the quakes.

Thanks today to Ben a driver from the Salvation Army for advice about box trucks with tail lifters. And also Kerry yesterday!

Also Robyn of ...

Earthquakes and human cognitive performance

Community Commemorations – The River of Flowers

Upcoming courses and lectures @ WEA

FLEEING VESUVIUS – John Peet

0800 Hungry and Addington Action

0800 Hungry is the country's largest foodbank. It operates a food warehouse, and provides essential support to families and individuals who would otherwise go hungry. 0800 Hungry provides food parcels to Addington Action who distribute them in their area. Other organisations in Christchurch who distribute food parcels are also helped by 0800 Hungry. To assist with the foodbank's mission,

Thrasing out how Christchurch can rebuild on its soft land (TC3) – public feedback session at the Knox Centre in Christchurch on Monday 13th February at 7.30pm.

Contributor: Voxy News Engine Thursday, 9 February, 2012

Learning about Community

As permaculture means permanent agriculture could we equate to .  Is it as simple as that?  I think it might be.  The two subjects interest me equally.

When I was 14 I decided to become a hippy. It was the alternative alternative to becoming a goth.  I took up reading poetry and painting, drinking chamomile tea. I stopped shaving my legs and I started wearing second hand clothes. After a while I wondered if this was it. Surely, if there were so many people involve ...

Day 354 - 0800 Hungry

Addington Action is to provide ongoing computer system support for .

is the largest food bank in New Zealand, occupies a large warehouse and operates on an industrial scale.

0800 Hungry supplies the food parcels that Addington Action distributes in the Addington area to hungry families. Many other organisations and churches in Christchurch source food parcels from .

The volunteer work for includes;
Once this has been done, support work may extend to networking, securit ...

Community Garden – Fitzgerald Avenue

ri'n(y)oo

Day 353 - back on the water-blasting

Today Matthew and Mike returned to the Christchurch South Community Gardens on Strickland St Sydenham to finish off water-blasting their building.

Its looking pretty good. Maybe one more small go, then wire brushing a few tough spots. Fill the cracks, wee bit of plaster here and there to repair small holes in the stucco, 2 coats of paint and all done.

Someone else is fixing up and painting the windows and doors.

Place will look a lot nicer.

The crew return to the gar ...

Henry's Road Cones

The first step to recovery is to celebrate the past.

What will you be doing?

Red Cross - Winter Assistance grant

Information on the Winter Assistance grant is now available. The purpose of the grant is to ... assist vulnerable households living in homes significantly damaged by the earthquakes or who have had to move into damp or hard to heat accommodation.This grant is for up to $400 in total and will be made up of four monthly payments of $100 which will be paid directly to electricity retailer

St Matthews Brownies Group

Are you a girl aged between 7 and 9 years? Do you enjoy being creative and having fun? At Girl Guides we like to do this and more! St Matthew’s Brownies are looking for girls who like to be challenged and receive rewards. If you are interested please contact our friendly leader, Wendy, to find out more on 352 5804 (evenings) or 021 105 5438.

Gap Filler pedal powered movies

As the team is busily scrambling to tweak the last few bugs out of the system, Gap Filler are very proud to announce their upcoming free CYCLE-POWERED CINEMA, with a grand opening at sundown on Thursday 9 February on the corner of Manchester and Dundas Streets (behind Pak’n'Sav Moorhouse) where Cycle Trading and Print Stop used to be. Films will screen Feb 9-11 & 15-18 (rain days Feb 12 & 19).

Community Commemorations The River of Flowers

Community Commemorations The River of Flowers is a collaborative attempt to provide opportunities for people to commemorate 22 February in their own way and with their local community.  To find out more, or to organise or promote an event, visit:http://www.healthychristchurch.org.nz/river-of-flowers

Residential zone announcement Friday 10 February

Included in this annoucement Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Gerry Brownlee comments on TC3 land

Shirley/Papanui/St Albans Community Board Agenda 15/2/2012

http://www1.ccc.govt.nz/council/agendas/2012/february/shirleypapanui15th/index.asp