We are fast approaching the end of another year in our journey to recover from the earthquakes that have had such an enormous impact on our lives. It is a year, however, where we in greater Christchurch can mark real progress. The economic indicators are looking positive. Consents for new homes have almost doubled in greater Christchurch in recent months and construction activity is on the rise. The central city Blueprint Plan is out there now and we’re asking people to give us some feedback on its most recent chapter – the draft Transport Plan. The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan will see us living in a vibrant, people-friendly central city in years to come. We are making good progress in the demolition of earthquake-damaged buildings and the cordon around the central city has reduced by 90 per cent. That includes the recent reopening of Victoria Square. Local favourites like Alice in Videoland and C1 Espresso, as well as a new Dux de Lux restaurant on Riccarton Road, are back in business too, marking progress from the ground up. You’ll see below we’ve given you a fleeting glimpse into recovery, Canterbury- style 2012. CERA Chief Executive Roger Sutton. 2012 – The recovery, Canterbury-style We’re fixing it We reached out for support We gathered together The Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team Times have been tough for a lot of greater Christchurch More than 1,600 community events have been listed so (SCIRT) is well into its work repairing the horizontal residents but many have accessed the support that is far this year on the BETHERE.CO.NZ website. infrastructure in greater Christchurch. SCIRT’s work out there. Some highlights included: programme is expected to cost $2 billion over five years. Since the earthquakes: • Christmas in the Park which was attended by more Did you know? • Close to 10,000 people have been through the than 100,000 people in the last weekend of November • 223 projects totalling $91 million dollars are completed Earthquake Assistance Centre in Avondale, and almost • Cup and Show week attracted tens of thousands • 90 projects totalling $228 million dollars are under 2,500 through the Kaiapoi Earthquake Hub to the various racing events and 123,000 people construction • The Earthquake Support Coordinator service has attended the 150th A&P Show – many hoping for a • The first stage of the Southern Motorway, a assisted 6,098 households glimpse of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla $140 million project from the New Zealand Transport • CERA has held over 170 public meetings and • Community-generated events like Spring River Festival Agency (NZTA), is set to open this month stakeholder and resident workshops with a combined also encouraged people to gather together attendance of over 15,000 people We’re rebuilding it • Relationship Services Aotearoa has received more than Our sports and culture are In July this year the Christchurch Central Recovery 15,000 calls from residents Plan was released by CERA’s Christchurch Central • More than 200 households have transitioned through thriving Our cultural and sporting icons have taken a knock due Development Unit (CCDU). It describes the form in which the Temporary Accommodation Villages to the earthquakes but we’ve now seen the opening of the central city can be rebuilt as a whole and defines the • $366,905 is paid weekly in temporary accommodation temporary performance venues in the Court Theatre’s location of 17 ‘anchor projects’. assistance Shed and the Dux Live in Addington. The new AMI Building and construction activity is on the rise. Stadium, also in Addington, is providing a temporary According to Statistics New Zealand, during the first Our economy is picking up home to the Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams. The Canterbury rebuild is credited with contributing to six months of 2012, nearly $1 billion of building work the 3.3 per cent growth rate of the South Island economy The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan has provision was granted consent in Canterbury. This is quickly – the greatest pace of growth seen in eight years. for a Performing Arts Precinct in the vicinity of the approaching the consents for work totalling $1.2 billion Convention Centre Precinct and planned Te Rūnanga o over the whole of last year. • The latest figures from the National Bank show that Ngāi Tahu Te Puna Ahurea Cultural Centre. regional gross domestic product (GDP) for Canterbury Did you know? grew by 4.4 per cent in the year to June 2012 • In the year to October 2012, 3,784 consents for new Our sporting successes included a fifth consecutive • Jobs advertised in Canterbury rose 25.8 per cent in homes in Canterbury were issued (up by 56 per cent provincial title for the Canterbury rugby team and six the 12 months to August this year from 2,419 in the year to October 2011) medals for Canterbury swimmer Sophie Pascoe, at the • For the same period, new non-residential consents London Paralympics. went from 1,069 to 1,381 (source Statistics NZ) Spotlight on the Tips for staying safe Community recovery draft Transport Plan over the holidays by collaboration ISSUE 16 December 2012 page 2 and 3 page 4 page 7 CER178.1112A 0800 RING CERA I 0800 7464 2372 I Fax (03) 963 6382 I www.cera.govt.nz Have your say on transport Gerry Brownlee planning for the central city Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery The public is invited to have a say on An cycles, pedestrians and private vehicles as a way of Accessible City, the draft Transport Plan for the improving travel across the city. As Christmas approaches, it is natural to look new central Christchurch. back over 2012. I think in many respects 2012 Among the proposals, the Square would become largely has been a year of contrasts, of frustrations but The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan (CCRP) approved pedestrian only, and the overall speed limits within the also of great progress. on 30 July 2012 contained limited information on transport. CBD’s core would be reduced to a maximum of 30km/hr. It was intended that more detailed work would be done to Mr Brownlee says the speed reduction in this central area International experience of disaster recovery tells us that design a transport system to support the recovery of the will improve safety for both pedestrians and cyclists. this is not surprising. central city. That new chapter of the CCRP has now been released for the wider community to comment on and The draft plan is now open for consultation. You have until We must not let our frustrations cloud the significant contribute towards. Friday 1 February 2013 to make a submission through the progress we have made nor preclude us from taking CCDU website: www.ccdu.govt.nz or by collecting a form some pride in how far we have come on our road to Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Gerry from Christchurch City Council offices. recovery. Brownlee, says the draft plan prioritises streets for buses, There have been some significant achievements in 2012, such as the completion of the process of zoning Central city road use hierarchy land and the Crown offer to purchase, enabling people BEALEY AVE BEALEY AVE to move off substandard land and establish new homes on land they can have some confidence in; the VICTORIA ST establishment of the Christchurch Central Development PARK TCE FITZGERALD AVE MANCHESTER ST Unit and the launch of the Central City Blueprint MONTREAL ST DURHAM ST COLOMBO ST MADRAS ST BARBADOES ST HARPER AVE reflecting the ideas so many of you contributed through SALISBURY ST the Share an Idea campaign and representing a rebirth SALISBURY ST of a central city which is vital to the ongoing economic KILMORE ST and social health of our city; the release of the Recovery KILMORE ST Strategy Mahere Haumanutanga, to provide a vision, goals and a road map for ensuring the success of ARMAGH ST greater Christchurch; the considerable progress of the ARMAGH ST infrastructure rebuild team SCIRT in restoring necessary GLOUCESTER ST infrastructure; the impressive economic activity in the WORCESTER ST region despite the challenges; the opening of the AMI ROLLESTON AVE stadium and reopening of so many businesses, cafes HEREFORD ST HEREFORD ST HEREFORD ST and restaurants. CASHEL ST FITZGERALD AVE CASHEL ST DEANS AVE RICCARTON AVE Another key achievement I think we underestimate CAMBRIDGE TCE LICHFIELD ST is the continuing improvement in the availability of OXFORD TCE TUAM ST MADRAS ST TUAM ST insurance. We have committed significant resource to helping the insurance industry understand the seismic risk and the process of land zoning, to restore their ST ASAPH ST ST ASAPH ST FERRY RD confidence and understanding of their ongoing risk. Increasingly, insurance companies are writing insurance HAGLEY AVE in the residential and commercial markets, enabling new COLOMBO ST MANCHESTER ST MADRAS ST MONTREAL ST DURHAM ST BARBADOES ST buildings to commence. It’s exciting to see significant MOORHOUSE AVE MOORHOUSE AVE increases in the number of building consents being issued as a result. Diagram shows prioritised Cycling Car travel Walking Public transport routes for different travel modes I know many of you remain frustrated with insurance but I am confident that progress will continue to be made. I know also that for some of you living with foundation damage on land designated Technical Category 3, there are ongoing frustrations. CERA has worked hard with A New Year message from Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker the building industry, the engineering profession, and Recent milestones such as the successful hosting of consenting authorities, to address the issues to give A prevailing mood of optimism has swept across the Royal Tour, the launch of the inaugural New Zealand confidence to rebuild projects.