SUBMISSION TO: Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) ON: Draft Recovery Strategy for Greater Christchurch FROM: Akaroa/Wairewa Community Board DATE: 28 October 2011 CONTACT: Pam Richardson Chairman Akaroa-Wairewa Community Board Phone: 03 3046825 The Akaroa-Wairewa Community Board (the Board) welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the Draft Recovery Strategy for Greater Christchurch. The Akaroa/Wairewa area is predominantly rural and quite distinct from the metropolitan part of Christchurch, but it is certainly part of the “greater City” and has been affected by the earthquakes. Christchurch plays a huge role in the lives of Banks Peninsula residents with many people working in the city and visiting for health, social, recreational and business reasons. Christchurch is the service town for the rich and diverse Canterbury region. Phasing and Pace of Recovery The Board agrees that the recovery should be undertaken “at a steady pace to ensure decisions and activities reflect the principles of the strategy….” (Page 20). Decisions should not be made in haste and the opportunity to utilise local resources should be a leading consideration. The Board believes this is an opportunity for our children to be the most employed generation the city has ever seen, and that there is huge potential for youth training and employment for all. The Financial Impact and Funding The Board firmly believes that the approach to rebuilding needs to be practical and pragmatic. It is the private investors who will predominantly provide the funding to rebuild the city. Those investors need to be encouraged to have faith in the future of the city, and not have unrealistic impediments placed in their way. Christchurch can not afford to lose the confidence of private investors. The Board agrees that the Strategy needs to “Optimise public and private investment in the rebuild by a coordinated approach in a Finance and Funding Recovery Plan” (Page 38). That Plan will be an integral part of the overall recovery. CERA and other authorities need to work closely and collaboratively with the private sector in developing that Plan. Social Recovery Plans, programmes and activities The Board does not think that enough emphasis has been placed on the physical and mental health of people in this part of the Strategy (Page 52). The Board believes that the wellbeing of the city’s residents is a fundamental requirement to the success of any recovery and should be paramount within the Strategy. DOCUMENT: 11/596113 Page 1 of 2 Built Recovery Plans, programmes and activities The Board suggests that consideration should be given to the Government undertaking a review, and potentially amending the Resource Management Act as it relates to the application and consent processes for rebuilding and the restoration of listed heritage buildings in Canterbury. At present listed heritage buildings are having to apply for resource consents to remedy earthquake damage when both NZHPT and CCC heritage staff approve what is proposed. The financial cost and time lost would be better used in shortening the restoration period. If statutory processes are able to be simplified to ensure that rebuilding can be achieved in a more efficient and cost effective manner it will have positive implications on the land, building and infrastructure recovery plan. Principles, collaboration and engagement The Board recognises the importance of being involved and taking part in the rebuilding processes. The community and individuals all have to take up the opportunities to become involved. We are all part of the rebuild. It is important that engagement recognises and considers the wellbeing, happiness, and impact of economic indicators on our communities. We need a vibrant community to input into the process to enable major decisions to be made. Priorities and opportunities for early wins There needs to be clear direction from those leading the rebuild and public understanding of the roles of the other partners involved in the rebuild. Being prepared strategies need to be part of the picture, to deal with further disaster and to continue to build on those networks that have been created as result of the earthquake. It is important to continue to function as adaptive communities and continue to have survival plans for our communities and families. Pam Richardson Chairman Akaroa-Wairewa Community Board 28 October 2011 Community Board contact: Liz Carter Community Board Adviser Akaroa Service Centre 78 Rue Lavaud Akaroa Phone: (03) 9415682 Email: [email protected] DOCUMENT: 11/596113 Page 2 of 2 Aoraki Dragon Boat Association Incorporated PO Box 319, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand [email protected] www.aoraki-dragons.co.nz DRAGON BOAT RESPONSES TO THE RECOVERY STRATEGY FEEDBACK 29 OCTOBER, 2011 Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment and responses to the Recovery Strategy. The following is prepared by the Aoraki Dragon Boat Association Inc, which represents all the School and Adult Dragon Boat teams and clubs in the South Island. Currently, virtually all those teams are Christchurch-based. Aoraki Dragons has a primary roles to “Promote, be responsible for, manage, develop, and encourage Dragon Boating, competitions, tournaments and regattas at all levels, whilst maintaining the established traditions of the sport in the South Island of New Zealand”. Further we carry the mandate to “Represent the interests of dragon boating with governing bodies of sport, national sports bodies and local or national governmental organisations or authorities.” Aoraki Dragons have been actively engaging with the “Avon Corridor User Group” working party (along with Rowing, Waka Ama, Canoeing, Surf Life Saving, Running and Cycling). The User Group is the initiative of Sport Canterbury, and has presented a collective response to the Recovery Strategy, but the following supplements that submission, from a Dragon Boating perspective. This submission has been prepared in conjunction with the NSO for Dragon Boating, the New Zealand Dragon Boat Association (NZDBA). This has ensured that it accurately reflects the position and importance of Christchurch and Canterbury in the context of the strategic aims of the NZDBA. WHAT WE’VE LEARNT 1. CERA HIGHLIGHTED THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS LEARNT SINCE THE EARTHQUAKES BEGAN – BUT ARE THERE OTHERS? a) Aoraki Dragon Boat Association (and NZDBA) agree with the list of learning’s since the earthquakes have started. In particular, the Dragon Boat community in Christchurch was (and continues to be) very keen to see a restoration of ‘life as usual, as soon as possible’. That is, they wanted to restore “… sporting and recreational life as part of community wellbeing, providing a sense of continuity with the past and a sense of shared identity”. Our teams had a lot on their minds, but appreciated being able to escape from these stresses for a few hours a week, and to have events and regatta to attend during the season. Dragon Boating run by Dragon Boaters for Dragon Boaters Vision and Goals b) Further, Aoraki quickly realized that Christchurch is a part of a national and international community, with immediate and ongoing offers of help and support coming from other New Zealand Dragon Boat communities and from international counterparts. It is important to acknowledge this support. VISION AND GOALS 2. TOGETHER, DO THESE GOALS DESCRIBE THE RECOVERED GREATER CHRISTCHURCH THAT YOU WANT? ARE THERE OTHER KEY GOALS WE SHOULD SEEK TO ACHIEVE? Canterbury has a strong and proud sporting community and it has been and it will be a vital part of the recovery of the region. However sport and recreation will have the ability to overlay and work towards achieving each of the goals. For example, 3.3.1 talks of “… providing a variety of world class employment options that attract high caliber employees…” Christchurch is already home to many corporates that count themselves amongst ‘the best place to work’. And a great employer will actively engage their employees in team building activities, particularly corporate-based sports such as Dragon Boating or business house rowing competitions. Aoraki Dragons (along with the Avon Corridor Users Group) particularly likes the point in 3.3.2 about the "delivering community, health, education and social services that are collaborative, accessible, innovative and flexible". The aftermath of the earquake gives us the opportunity for people to form common User Groups so that we can coordinate and collaborate in rebuilding the facilities in Christchurch. In our case, we have much in common with Canoe Clubs and rowers, cyclists and runners - especially when it comes to running events, and supporting our sportsmen. Another very important aspect of our resilience in dealing with these events is the strength of networks that Christchurch residents have developed through sports and recreational activities. It provides an important sense of 'belonging'. Aoraki Dragons supports the concept of "identifying opportunities to leverage the significant investment in new and upgraded infrastructure" (3.3.3). The city has fallen well behind other cities that have excellent Flat Water Sports Venues (such as Auckland's Viaduct Basin and Lake Pupuke, and Wellington's Waterfront Precinct). There had been talk of developing Henderson Valley as a Flat Water venue which would have alleviated the safety risks for rowers and paddler s sharing the Avon River. Plus it would draw enormous visitor numbers for national and international events. But the development of an