The smallest number in this blog is 1, the biggest is 17.5 million, and there’s lots other great numbers in between.
6 weeks ago it started with a single text message after a 7.1 earthquake and today it ended with 124,000 Cantabs (1/3 of Christchurch’s population) enjoying 9 hours of continuous music from 29 acts and $17.5 million being raised from all over NZ for the disaster relief at the biggest ever concert to be held in New Zealand.
Band Together was a free concert organized by NZ musicians for some light relief for Cantabs after the 4 September quake. Jeff, Naomi and mr 11 went but mr 15 found his own way there and back. Jeff’s Mum handled the motel which was much appreciated.
Jeff headed off at 8.30 to get seat space and relaxed till others arrived. The music started on time and was a who’s who of NZ music. The depth that has developed in NZ music over the last 3 years is quite incredible and it really showed today. The last 2 acts were good but definitely old-school NZ music and Dave Dobbin’s act really struggled to keep pace with the newer talent on display.
124,000 earthquake victims were treated to a wonderful cultural display. The logistics were incredibly well managed, the whole concert it was all done to clockwork using 2 stages side by side. That so many acts could keep time is probably unheard of in the music industry and no doubt due to the event wide alcohol ban – and that appeared to include the singers. In the crowd close to us, yes we did see wine confiscated. Good idea but sober people don’t dance much.
We were also visited by Mayor Bob Parker and Christchurch’s own John Key Prime Minister.
So thanks NZ for coming to Cristchurch for the day, it was good. Tomorrow we get back to getting Christcurch back to what it was.
I was alone in the room with Wild Man – a magic moment I hope everyone also has the chance to experience, but I doubt it because there will no doubt be a long queue of people lining up to see this true to life exhibition.
I am not one to actively visit exhibitions although the pre-hype and an invite from the Christchurch Art Gallery got me to the preview one day before the opening and I was not disappointed. And after so much destruction around the city, and the venue being the Civil Defence Head Quarters after the 4 Sept. earthquake it’s great to see the Art gallery being an art gallery. The Art Gallery gets a thumbs up from me for organising this exhibition which is only being shown here.
Ron Mueck is an intensely private person said Neil, my guide to about ½ of the exhibition whom had met Ron only days before when he was in Christchurch for the exhibition preparation. Yet, despite his quest for privacy, Mueck allows his inner self to be shared in this exhibition including the sculpture of his deceased father complete with Ron’s own bodily hairs and an in-depth video presentation of how this exhibition came about. This, the lack of physical barriers in the gallery and the raw power of the expressions that Mueck has captured means the visitor is enveloped in the exhibition rather than being a mere viewer.
From the larger than life Pregnant Woman, In Bed and Wild Man to the minute yet intricate Youth, Two Women and Woman with Sticks, Mueck has created a surreal yet intimate world that will make you want to turn away with embarrassment. But don’t, along with expression of raw emotion is also the technical brilliance – these were all made, hair by hair, pimple by pimple by the artist. I recommend walking through the exhibition 3 times to soak up the artistic, emotional and technical aspects of this most wonderful exhibition.
Exhibition at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu - 2 October 2010 to 23 January 2011. Book your Christchurch accommodation at CentrePoint on Colombo Motel.
The Gallery says the graphic material may not be suitable for everyone.
A big Shout Out to Television New Zealand!
It could be said that never before has Cathedral Square been so crowded. A lot of people go for the New Year concert but this was standing room only, shoulder to shoulder – packed.
TVNZ made the decision to move the Auckland based morning show “Breakfast” to Christchurch for Breakfast for Canterbury on 24 Sep. – a way to show solidarity with and give strength to those devastated by the Sep. 4 quake.
Both our sons (T2 and T1) were keen to go and so we headed off just after 6.30am. We entered an already crowded Square to which only more bodies were added. The area in front of the Cathedral was given over to the TVNZ programme and Paul Henry, broadcasting personality of the year this year, Pippa Wetzel, Tamati Coffey and Corin Dan lead a plethora of personaities including The Wizard, Crusaders Coach Todd Blackadder, and members of the Canterbury Rugby Team etc. etc. During the add breaks we were entertained by such local acts as Stella, Kids of 88 and The Feelers. It was good.
Also present were Prime Minister John Key, earthquake reconstruction minister Gerry Brownlee and Mayor Bob Parker. At one stage they and 2 others were in the middle of the set talking away animatedly, don’t know what they were talking about but it did add to the whole feel good atmosphere.
And just the fact that the whole of New Zealand had come to Canterbury this day was indeed something special was evident in the intense yet jovial, excited yet serious feeling enveloping the crowd. While the odd bunch of school girls added some colour in their own way there was not an over supply of exultation in the crowd. More than anything, everyone was pleased to have something so special to take their minds off the reality and they were happy that New Zealand had come to Christchurch for 3 hours. Thank you TVNZ.
What makes New Zealand such a great place? Read this and find out.
We went to the Square, T1 on his bike and Naomi, Jeff and T2 went on foot. We got close to the front and while I could see, T2 was stuck in his 130cm low hole, surrounded by adult bums and backs. But he was keen to get to the front to do something to be able to say “I was there.” He did get an autograph card and managed to get several signatures but other than that spent most of the time reading clothing labels. Today was the last day of the school term and so we couldn’t wait round till the end at 9 and so started to head home when T2 said, “lets go backstage.” Reluctantly I said, “OK,” and we walked past patrolling police officers to the barriers. What we found was Prime Minister John Key reading an official looking briefing paper – no doubt about Canterbury reconstruction! Took a couple of photos of our boss hard at work but then he put it down and wandered over to where we were.
After talking to another person John was right in front of us and so I asked can we get a photograph?” “Sure,” said John and I got out the camera, “is that the new iphone4,” asked John and I replied “yes.” He asked me how it was and I think I may have said something like that it was bloody good! We took the photo, shook his hand and I thanked him for coming down here today and for all the help he was giving Canterbury. T2 then found a local act, Kids of 88 that had played live and is making a name for themselves and got a photo with them – he was just so happy.
It is this kind of spontaneity – being able to meet, chat with and take a photo with the Prime Minister or a Popstar that sums up how great life is in New Zealand. And no matter how much the earth moves, it can’t take this away from us.
Photos from post quake Christchurch. See our previous blogs for news about how Christchurch is well on the road to recovery!
CentrePoint on Colombo Motel is open for business.
A lot has happened recently, destruction and reconstruction, here’s some of it in photos;
We lost our beloved Canterbury Cheesemongers, our hearts go out to Martin and Sarah (we hope they find a new shop soon) and all the other small businesses which have been forced out of business after the quake.
On day 6 the punting resumed and then on day 7 the Tram was running and playing chess in the Square was possible.
On a positive note, we were in Cathedral Square to see the Rugby World Cup 2011 countdown clock go 52 Weeks 0 Days 0 Hours 0 Minutes. One year to GO!
Road closures round the city made the city eerily quiet and deserted, and we feel for the business owners who are on the wrong side of the barriers.
It is still not certain if the MLC building, the tallest building in Christchurch when built in 1906 and a true beauty of a structure, will be saved.
When I was out and about, then cordons were relaxed close to 6pm and I was able to photograph the start of TVNZ news on Friday 10 September.
To make the city safe, cleanup continued into the darker hours of the evening.
Amongst all the despair, some parts of the city just kept on being Christchurch and the blooms of the season added colour and beauty.
The unfortunate demolition of buildings means that photos can be taken from previously unseen angles. This was the Asko Furniture building on the corner of Victoria and Salisbury Sts. And also the site of Canterbury Cheesemongers.
The Arts Centre received damage that will take years and millions of dollars to repair and while is currently being patched up, parts of it are still operating including the cafes, restaurants and the Court Theatre!
And remember there is always time to walk to the Botanical Gardens to get some quality time!
We welcome you to read both this and previous blogs about the Canterbury earthquake and how are well on the road to recovery!
CentrePoint on Colombo Motel is open for business.
In 2 days it will be 2 weeks since Christchurch shook violently at 4.35am on 4 September. A lot has changed in these 2 weeks and they are still changing – evident by the sporadic aftershocks as the ground settles into its new shape.
We experienced the disaster first hand, dealt with it and soon realised that while damage was widespread, it was not the end of Christchurch as a beautiful city. Unfortunately international media reported that our city was in ruins – images of the one building that caught on fire when electricity was turned back on went around the world mainly because PM John Key and the media were touring the area when it happened! The camera operator could have at least panned to either the left or right and shown undamaged buildings as well!
In reality, there was a travel advisory for the first week and a State of Emergency was in place, but we were certainly not going the way of Pompei!
Starting off on the back foot and then getting kicked while we were down meant we had to try hard to get our message out that Christchurch was still open for business – and tourism and that meant for a busy week. We got info onto our web site straight away guiding people to our blog which inturn led to Twitter and Facebook. We then blogged, Tweeted and Facebooked the week away, getting a balanced message out to those who wanted some info apart from the mainstream media. We cannot ascertain how much effect all our efforts had but we are pleased to be able to say that accommodation cancellations were limited and have now stopped – thanks for having faith in us and Christchurch! We have also been pleasantly surprised by the number of messages we have received from people commenting positively on what we have been doing.
So how is Christchurch now – physically it’s a lot better than last week but politically things are heating up. The adrenalin and focus on getting through the first week has now given way to some stark realities as communities and individuals try to work out how to get back to normal and come to the realisation of just how long it may take. We also have a Mayoral and City Council election coming up so there is many a matrix operating there! For Christchurch residents in some parts of the city reconstruction is going to be a long term reality.
As for tourism, Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism said last week that 98% of our areas tourism activities / attractions etc. were operating normally. Not really sure what makes up the 2% that aren’t but clearly some of the Arts Centre is contributing. While largely visually intact, parts will need intensive TLC over the next year or so to return it to its former glory. Probably one of the hardest hit sectors has been the restaurant industry. Many restaurants, including close by South of The Border, Himalayas and Café Valentino remain closed. See here for a full and up to date list of what is happening to your favourite eating places. But the overwhelming message is that Christchurch is still a great place to visit and it is open for business.
The State of Emergency has been lifted as of 12 noon, not that it will make any real difference to our lives, mainly an administrative issue. But still, it is probably easier to make a decision to visit a city if it does not have such a State of Emergency!
Things are looking up in Christchurch. Victoria Street, which lost a lot of its older buildings, reopened yesterday and means traffic will now flow smoother. Other parts of the central city are being tidied up and there are now few areas off limits. In reality, there are large parts of the city where it is difficult to tell there has been such an earthquake.
Christchurch is very much alive! We say to everyone far and wide, come and visit Christchurch, people are the life blood of a city and you need to be a part of it!
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"We urge everyone to not cancel your plans to visit Christchurch. Please come to the Garden City as planned, we’d love to see you all here."
This is a standard reply to everyone, thanks for taking the time to read it.Thankfully our family is safe, and the Motel did not sustain any damage.
CentrePoint on Colombo Motel is fully operational.
Over the last week, we have told it, in both words and pictures how it has been. Some parts of Christchurch were a mess, and some places still are, but it’s getting better fast.
We urge everyone to not cancel your plans to visit Christchurch. Please come to the Garden City as planned, we’d love to see you all here.
Many people who have stayed with us before or booked to stay at CentrePoint on Colombo Motel in the coming weeks and months have emailed us with kind messages of support and encouragement and we thank you all for your kind thoughts.
The Christchurch and Canterbury region was rocked by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake at 4.35am on 4 September. 8 days have now passed and sitting in the motel office I can feel the aftershocks but if standing up and doing something they pass unnoticed! Not to say that they are all gone, we are still being told to be careful. These aftershocks have been unsettling to most Cantabrians but they are an ironic reminder of our 19 years in Japan. We rock ‘n rolled there a lot!
Friday evening (10 Sep.) most of the cordons were lifted although there were very few people at the bars etc. in SOL Square and Lichfield Lanes. But there are reports that most retailers are trading today (12 Sep.) and people are there - the city is pretty much open for business!
Also on Friday, the Tram started operating and so now 98% of tourist activities / attractions / accommodation are well and truly operating normally. Sorry, don’t ask me about the 2% that are not!
City wide transport is operating, Civil Defense is out of the Art Gallery and it will reopen Monday. Supermarkets are all open and there will only be a few schools not opening Monday. Our beautiful Arts Centre needs a little TLC before re-opening and the inside of the Cathedral is off limits for now – they held today’s service outside in the Square. And my municipal gym is not open yet!
There are still a few roads closed, Kilmore St. between Manchester and Colombo and the Manchester / Hereford intersection and there will be a few delays as a few more buildings get tidied up.
So how is Christchurch? Close to the Motel, the older buildings have been seriously damaged and some of our favorite restaurants within 2 minutes walk will unfortunately not be reopening for some time. Apart from that, roads are undamaged and there are very few signs of the disaster we experienced. The central city area has isolated pockets of damage. Some buildings have been damaged and are being demolished but others are fine. Ironically, some of the really old and dilapidated stuff is still there!! Parts of the eastern side of the city, closer to the coast and near the rivers (mainly residential) did not fare as well. This is where some of the most serious damage, often caused by liquefaction, occurred. Many roads, power poles, houses, lawns and footpaths are in need of a lot of repair. Initial estimates are that 100,000 houses have been damaged in the quake and this statement is one way of summing up the situation. Christchurch is not in ruins, rather the damage here and there over almost the entire city and probably no-one is unaffected. Even for us, the residential part of the motel (where we live) received cosmetic damage when a neighbouring chimney fell across the boundary.
I have been out and about (yes I did leave the motel site!) and can say that while some of what can be seen is truly heartbreaking, there are also large areas of the city where it is very hard to tell there has been a large earthquake
So what do we say? Come to Christchurch as you were planning. We are getting better and better everyday and by the time you get here the main parts of the city should be back to normal. Us Cantabrians are a resilient lot and bounce back pretty good!
This will be the last daily info-blog but we will provide more information to you over the coming days as Christchurch returns to normal by way of;
Twitter www.twitter.com/CentrePntMotel,
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CentrePointonColomboMotel
Our motel blog http://centrepointoncolombomotel.blogspot.com/
and we welcome you to follow the Garden City’s progress.
Jeff and Naomi Peters
Day 6 after the quake and another bicycle tour of central city Christchurch.
If you avoid looking at the damaged buildings and closed off parts of town, it looks and feels like Christchurch always has been – a beautiful place!
Lots more big news today.
It’s one year to the start of the Rugby World Cup 2011. Christchurch will be ready!
Yesterday some people asked about the Chalice, don’t worry, it is too much a part of Christchurch now to disappear! (light was not too good today)
Lone Star Steak House is a popular place and the work is already underway to return it to its former glory.
The Arts Centre, while earthquake strengthened, has unfortunately lost some parts off the top. We wish it well and a very speedy recovery!
Art Gallery – the Civil Defence HQ, and not one pane of glass broken!
Our City Otautahi, the first city council chambers also lost a little off the top but is still a proud member of our heritage buildings.
Punting – is operating from today!! And a visitor took the chance to enjoy a peaceful trip down the river!
And amongst such a horrible natural disaster, nature is showing its beautiful side as well - Magnolias are in full bloom in Christchurch there’s plenty more colour as well.
Christchurch, it’s beautiful!
