A city rebuilding

We look back on a decade of earthquake recovery and pull some massive moments from the memory bank.

01 - September 4, 2010 earthquake Welcome to the 20-teens, Christchurch.

02 - February 22, 2011 earthquake The day we lost 185 people to a terrible force of nature. The city would never be the same, physically or in spirit.

03 - Shag Pile Rapanui, the great stack of rock marking the entrance to the estuary crumbled into a somewhat less impressive figure during the February earthquake.

04 - Sumner container art Amazing art belies the practical nature of these containers, placed along Peacocks Gallop to prevent boulders falling on the road.

05 - Cranes, cones and fences If we were to develop a coat of arms for Christchurch in the 2010s, it would probably feature these things.

06 - Re:START and Ballantynes open, October 2011 Bold, bright, new and stylish, the opening of Re:START container mall and Ballantynes brought Christchurchians back to the city centre.

07 - Flowers in road cones, February 2012 One year on from the February earthquake, Christchurchians honoured those who had died and whose lives had been forever changed by the quake by placing flowers in what had become a symbol of the city: road cones.

08 - Tramway reopens, November 2013 This limited route between New Regent Street and Worcester Boulevard was later expanded in 2014 to include the entire pre-earthquake loop.

09 - Centennial Pool » Margaret Mahy Playground, 2014 – 2015 After an impassioned campaign to save the pools was not successful, central Christchurch’s Centennial Pool complex was pulled down in 2014 to make room for what would become a lively and colourful spot for families and children: the Margaret Mahy Playground which opened in December 2015.

10 - Bus interchange opens, May 2015 One of the first ‘anchor projects’ and a tangible sign that the CBD would continue to be a hub for Christchurch.

11 - Bridge of Remembrance reopens, April 2016 The bridge and memorial arch were badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake, and the bridge, dedicated to those who died in World War I, reopened on Anzac Day 2016.

12 - Port Hills fires, February 2017 Two fires quickly spread through the hills, destroying nine homes and taking the life of a helicopter pilot. The inferno could be seen all across the city, and cleared forest, farmland, residential areas and Christchurch Adventure Park.

13 - Lancaster Park for sale, sort of, 2017 The condemned home of Canterbury rugby got to live on in some small part as seats and other parts of the stadium were auctioned to fans on Trade Me during its demolition.

14 - The Terrace opens, March 2018 First came Botanic, then Craft Embassy, then everything fell into place, bringing some serious nightlife back to the city.

15 - Taiora QEII Recreation and Sport Centre opens, May 2018 The much-loved former QEII stadium and pool complex were never to be repaired, but this modern facility was one of the first new major public facilities to be built after the earthquakes.

16 - SALT District coined, October 2018 The SALT District, an acronym for St Asaph, Lichfield and Tuam, brought a punch of sass and grit to the city, home to funky cafes, gorgeous bars, and a plethora of places to eat (Little High, we love you).

17 - Tūranga central library opens, October 2018 Books! Technology! Lego! Giant touchscreen!

18 - Lyttelton Timeball Station reopens, November 2018 The old-times time signal device used by ships to set their chronometers was rebuilt after it completely collapsed in June 2011.

19 - Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub opens, march 2019 This Wigram outdoor sports facility was opened in stages. International-quality grounds for athletics, hockey, tennis and rugby league.

20 - Christchurch Town Hall reopens, February 2019 People started queuing around 9am to get a look at the new-look Christchurch Town Hall on reopening day.

21 - March 15, 2019 mosque shootings On this terrible day, a white supremacist terrorist took the lives of 51 people at their time of peace and prayer. They have become a fundamental part of our city’s kōrero and will always be remembered.

22 - Sumner Road reopens, March 2019 The road connecting Lyttelton to Sumner took a good while to be rebuilt and made safe for motorists, and the result is probably the city’s best road: smooth with sweeping corners and majestic views of the harbour entrance.

23 - Lumière cinemas open, June 2019 After an eight-year absence, The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora gets its arthouse cinema back with the opening of Lumière.

24 - Riverside Market opens, September 2019 The indoor market complex has turned the corner of Oxford Tce and Lichfield Street into a bustling food hub.

25 - Sign of the Takahe reopens, October 2019 The historic roadhouse reopened as an absolutely excellent café and bar.

26 - Vaka ’a Hina installed, October 2019 Sēmisi Fetokai Potauaine’s striking, sixteen-metre tall sculpture added a magnificent touch of Pasifika culture to Ōtautahi’s public art landscape.

27 - The Welder opens, November 2019 Taking up residence on the bustling Welles Street, The Welder is the first health and wellbeing (and eating) centre of such a large scale and is a hub of good vibes.

DID YOU KNOW?

Giant clock faces from the iconic Moorhouse Avenue railway station and Science Alive! building now adorn Riverside Market.

The Sign of the Kiwi underwent earthquake repairs and strengthening, opening just three weeks before the Port Hills fires came within metres of destroying the café in 2017. Luckily, it emerged unscathed.

In an unprecedented level of public agreement, 90% of respondents to a Christchurch City Council survey said they wanted to keep the iconic New Brighton whale pool. A replica of the original whale is now in place.

It took a heap of work to rebuild the beloved Christchurch Town Hall, including 1.7 kilometres of crack repairs.

Banding together

The Student Volunteer Army and other community groups banded together in the wake of the earthquakes to clear liquefaction and help people save their property and live their lives. After March 15, 2019, we once again saw the Christchurch community come together to help those who were injured or lost loved ones, and to show support for Muslim Christchurchians. This year, we saw more examples of our people going out of their way to help the vulnerable and isolated during Covid-19 lockdown. What a great community to call our own. Kia kaha, Ōtautahi.