How to Achieve the Key Goals

Cultural Heritage

Acknowledge, manage, link, interpret and add to the existing cultural heritage of the waterway, its berms, and associated heritage places and features, in an integrated manner, as a commemoration of the cultural progress of the city and its citizens

Explanation

The whole of the river corridor is a priority heritage area. Existing values combine natural heritage, Ngāi Tahu cultural heritage, the cultural heritage of the early European settlement,and the subsequent development of a cross-cultural New Zealand heritage. Within this setting there is room for more detailed "specialist" heritage themes.

The Avon River/Ōtakaro offers the opportunity to explore and reveal the deep cultural traditions from which our present-day New Zealand identity has evolved; a culture springing from, joining together and celebrating twin historic, cultural and spiritual threads.

Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Ngāi Tahu Whānui (community) have long given spiritual significance to the waterway and its waiora (life sustaining flow), as a wāhi taonga (treasured place).

The pattern of streets, blocks, squares and other open spaces in the central city was surveyed and laid out by Edward Jollie and Joseph Thomas in 1850. It represents the original design for Christchurch City. Along with the intentional respect of the natural course of the river, the original plan is a crucial heritage feature to be conserved as far as possible. It has guided private and public investment in buildings and works during more than 150 years of construction and redevelopment and has created an urban setting that is unique within New Zealand.

The NZ Historic Places Trust is in process of preparing registration of the waterway, banks and berms between the Durham Street bridge and the Colombo Street bridge as a Historic Area, of dual cultural significance. It is a settlement area of importance to Waitaha, Ngati Mamoe and Ngāi Tahu, providing a food source (mahinga kai) and abundance of natural resources. The area also marks the establishment of provincial government in Canterbury.

The corridor has become a favourite place to celebrate civic, regional and national achievements, and is now a home to a number of landmark places of heritage significance in the growth of the city. Most of these places and their associated buildings and objects are listed for protection in the City Plan. The Plan’s rules and the Historic Places Act 1993 together provide protection for the places and for the landscape settings (including fencing, planting, trees, lawns or other elements) which contribute to their heritage value.

Seven of the bridges over the Avon River/Ōtakaro within the Masterplan area are heritage objects listed for protection in the City Plan.

Notable trees in four areas of the corridor are listed for protection in the City Plan.

Archaeological sites contain a connection to past generations and are sources of information on their activities, and their protection is regulated by the Historic Places Act 1993 and the work of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. While there are at present no recorded archaeological sites along the Avon River/Ōtakaro corridor, sites may be unearthed in the future. As archaeological sites are defined under that Act as sites associated with human activity prior to 1900, they may well be of significance to Ngāi Tahu. Any proposal to modify, damage or destroy such sites must involve consultation with Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rānanga

Methods

Ngāi Tahu heritage:

Establish protocols to fully involve Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga in all decision-making on the management and development of the waterway and the riverside berms within the Avon River/Ōtakaro corridor, and use these to draw up general management policies and detailed proposals for specific areas, in order to achieve co-ordinated and consistent management of the river, its banks and berms in Council and Ngāi Tahu ownership for heritage protection and for public benefit.

Place emphasis on making sure that changes will conserve and, if appropriate, restore Ngāi Tahu relationships with the waterway, its mahinga kai species, and other fish, bird and plant species of importance to Ngāi Tahu.

Management should be for "us and our children after us – Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri a muri ake nei" as recognised by the tribal whakataukī (proverb).

Establish a programme to identify, protect and restore mahinga kai sites and other sites of significance to Ngāi Tahu, provide for access to them, and where appropriate highlight their significance through site design and/or interpretation.

Acknowledge, interpret and celebrate the spiritual significance of protecting natural heritage and indigenous biodiversity within the corridor.

Archaeological sites:

The Historic Places Act requires authority from the New Zealand Historic Places Trust to modify or damage any archaeological evidence. Early consultation with the Historic Places Trust and Ngāi Tahu is recommended before proposing to undertake any works in any area, which may contain known or unknown archaeological material.

Heritage of the original design for Christchurch City:

The heritage significance of the layout of the central city in relation to the Avon River/Ōtakaro is covered in Goal 4 (Urban Legibility).

Listed heritage buildings, places and objects:

Prepare and carry out plans that will conserve the existing heritage values of those buildings, places and objects which are protected by listing in the City Plan, and that will increase public enjoyment and appreciation of their history and significance. They are marked on the implementation plans (Sheets 1 to 11).

Settings of heritage buildings, places and objects:

Include the historical setting of each listed heritage building, place and object in the conservation plan for the feature. If the evidence of a historical setting no longer exists, aim to construct a setting based on physical and documentary evidence of the original setting. The extent of the appropriate setting may be affected by constraints other than heritage value.

Future heritage places and memorials:

Identify further river berm areas in which future commemorations of civic, regional and national achievements might be located, as outlined under Goal 5 (Use and Enjoyment).

Protected trees:

Most of the trees in the corridor are to be managed to ensure public safety, with selected removals and replacements as programmed in the Central City Riverbank Tree Replacement Strategy. However, three notable tree groups and one individual growing on the river berms are listed for protection in the City Plan. They are marked on the implementation plans (Sheets 1 to 11). All disturbance of these listed trees and their roots is a discretionary activity requiring a resource consent.

Artworks:

New artworks may be placed in the corridor in accordance with the Art in Public Places policy (2002), which establishes three categories:

Urban and Environmental Artworks – Suggested locations for these are marked on the implementation plans (Sheets 1 to 11). Each artwork must be assessed to make sure that it is appropriate for its proposed location.

Integrated Artworks – their incorporation into the suite of landscape furniture and lighting shall be encouraged, as a method of achieving an unity of style and reinforcing the heritage identity of the river corridor, as outlined under Goal 5 (Use and Enjoyment).

Community Artworks - these may be considered for placement in river berm areas, when their creation is a key feature of a community commemoration of a heritage event of city-wide significance. Each artwork must be assessed to make sure that it is appropriate for its proposed location.

Commemorative trees and plaques:

In line with long established practice, trees may be planted to commemorate visits by Royalty and Heads of State, significant international and sister city events, on berm land upstream of Madras Street. Other international, national and regional events, plus events relating to local communities residing within the four belts, may be commemorated by plantings downstream of Madras Street. Provide small plaques to display essential information on the purpose of the planting, and record the plantings on a central database.

Bridges:

Prepare and carry out plans that will conserve the existing heritage values of those bridges which are protected through listing in the City Plan, and that will improve public enjoyment and appreciation of their history and significance. They are marked on the implementation plans (Sheets 1 to 11).

Continue to carry out the existing programme for night-time feature lighting of these and other bridges which make significant contributions to the character of the corridor.

Take care to keep swallow roosting and nesting ledges under the bridges, and provide more ledges where opportunities arise.

Maintenance:

Prepare and carry out an asset management plan for that part of the corridor covering the riverbed, the banks and the berms up to the riverside edge of roadside footpaths that bound them, as well as for all assets located on them. Make sure that management takes account of the six values: landscape, ecology, recreation, heritage, culture and drainage, as well as financial values.

Monitor and audit the asset management plan at regular intervals to make sure that the management goals are being achieved.