City Scene - June 1999

June 1999 C H R I S T C H U R C H C I T Y C O U N C I L · Y O U R P E O P L E · Y O U R C I T Y
CONSULTATION —TALKING AND LISTENING PAGE 2	WATCH WHERE YOU PLANT YOUR TREES PAGE 2	MOVING AHEAD — A NEW BUS INTERCHANGE PLANNED FOR THE CITY CENTRE PAGE 3 PAGE 3	CELEBRATING OUR HERITAGE PAGE 3	EXPLOSIVE ACTION AT NEW ZEALAND’S BIGGEST ARTS FESTIVAL PAGE 3

EVERYONE’S invited to a Garden Party!
The way we were... early Christchurch residents turn out in all their finery for a public event

The entire City is invited to a garden party in the Botanic Gardens next year to celebrate Canterbury’s 150th anniversary.
The gardens will be transformed into a Victorian- style garden party for an afternoon, with string quartets, brass bands, strolling entertainers and Victorian pastimes on the sprawling lawns.
Residents and visitors will be encouraged to dress up for the event, which is one of many being planned for Anniversary Weekend, 16 and 17 December, 2000.
Next year is the 150th anniversary of the founding of Canterbury province and the 160th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi by Ngai Tahu. It also marks 250 years of Ngai Tahu settlement in the region.
Turning Point 2000 (initiated and core funded by Christchurch City Council) is responsible for co- ordinating celebrations and commemorations and the challenge is being met by one of its advisory groups, Heritage 2000, chaired by Canterbury Museum director Anthony Wright.
Plans to date include a colonial ball in the City Centre on Friday night, 15 December, and a "son et lumiere" (sound and light show) telling the story of Canterbury’s history in Cathedral Square on Saturday night. will
On Sunday morning there be an anniversary parade, rich in colour and tradition, from Sydenham Park to Cathedral Square. There will be community- organised activities in Christchurch and Canterbury all year next year. It will be a year to look back at the past, celebrate the present and look forward to the future.

For more information please contact Turning Point 2000 on ph 353 0358.

Modern bus Interchange planned for City
Christchurch’s new bus interchange is expected to look something like this. The facility will link central city car parking, quality shopping and public transport.

Christchurch’s new bus interchange is expected to look something like this. The facility will link central city car parking, quality shopping and public transport.

Imagine a modern, indoor bus interchange in the City Centre, linked with quality shops and parking facilities. And all without increasing rates.
This is the idea behind the interchange to be built as part of The Crossing development in City Mall. It will be similar to the Myer Center Bus Interchange that has revitalised Brisbane’s central city and boosted public transport.
Dave Hinman, Christchurch City Council’s coordinator of the project, describes the Christchurch project as "one of the most exciting transport developments the City will have seen for years". A comfortable airconditioned seating area with electric signs will let all passengers see how many minutes each bus is away from the interchange at any time.
"The key factor that makes this interchange so important is bringing together a major parking facility with high quality shopping and the central point for public transport." The proposal is to build an interchange that will allow people travelling across the City to change buses easily and safely.
Funding will come from the City and Regional Councils, who are working together to improve public transport and reduce traffic congestion. Most of the City Council funding will be made available without affecting rates. The required money will be taken from cuts in other items in the budget, to keep rates down.

In a Nutshell...
Record Response: Interest in the future of Christchurch is at record levels, if public responses to the Christchurch City Council Draft Plan: 1999 Edition are an indicator. Submissions on the plan have been returning to the Council thick and fast, and if the early feedback continues, Councillors are in for a busy time analysing the opinions of Christchurch people as they finalise the plan in July. The draft plan focuses on Council services, particularly establishing appropriate standards for acceptable costs in basic services such as parks, streets, water supply and waste management. Also included in the draft plan is a $41 million development fund to be used for projects which offer long-term jobs to local people. People who have asked to make personal submissions to the Council on the draft plan will do so from 5 to 7 July. A Council meeting is scheduled for 23 July to discuss the final details.	School Zones: The Council has decided to pursue a trial of 40kmh zones outside schools, despite a red light from the Land Transport Safety Authority. At a meeting this month the City Services Committee recommended the Council adopt a bylaw to create 40kmh part-time limited speed zones near selected Christchurch schools. The Council, responding to community concern, believes slowing traffic near schools will make the streets safer for children. "The aim is to improve driver behaviour around schools and to improve the safety and psychological wellbeing of our children," says traffic engineer Brian Neill. Last month the Land Transport Safety Authority declined the Council's October application saying it "did not substantiate a measurable traffic problem nor does it evaluate the possible reduction in risk the proposal was expected to achieve".	Helping Young Asians: Efforts are being made to make Christchurch a happier home for young Asians. A working party has been formed to look at the recommendations in the Voices of Asian Youth study, which was commissioned by the Shirley/Papanui, Riccarton/Wigram and Fendalton/Waimairi Community Boards because of the growing number of Asian students in the City. The study revealed that these students, particularly in their first year in New Zealand, felt dislocated, lonely and bored. One of the main recommendations was that a job be created for someone to liaise with the young people through their schools and the various Asian communities. The working party met for the first time in May, and will meet again this month. It consists of representatives of the Shirley-Papanui, Waimairi-Fendalton and Riccarton-Wigram Community Boards; Papanui, Burnside and Riccarton High Schools and Asian communities. They have decided a priority is to produce an orientation booklet to help newcomers to Christchurch adapt to the new culture. It would be written in several languages. They will also look at ways to make the immigration process easier for the students. For more information contact Shirley/Papanui community development adviser Bruce Meder on 354 1708.

Largest festival of New Zealand arts

The third Christchurch Arts Festival from 21 July to 8 August will be the country’s largest festival of New Zealand arts. Presenting more than 300 events during 18 days, the festival will include fine music, theatre, jazz and cabaret, visual arts, writing, dance and special events.
Free events include The Warratahs concert on Sunday 1 August, supported by Gary McCormick, Graham Wardrop and Rosa Shiels, and other local performers.
Watch out for street theatrics by the About Face newspaper spies, bag ladies and other characters.
And enjoy lunch in the City Centre while listening to rising star Deborah Wai Kapohe (23 July), the Cathedral College Samoan Culture Group (27 July), Christchurch Jazz School Big Band (30 July) and New Zealand Post Christchurch Youth Orchestra (6 August). These concerts will be held from 12.30 to 1.30pm in the amphitheatre at the High Street end of City Mall.
Michel Tuffery’s "Povi Tau Vaga", a spectacular show involving more than 100 performers will take to the streets on Saturday, 24 July at 5pm.
A life- sized fire- breathing mechanical corned beef tin bull leaves from the corner of Victoria and Kilmore Streets, another leaves from the corner of Montreal Street and Oxford Terrace and they meet in a headlong sparking challenge on Worcester Boulevard about 5.45pm.
The Christchurch Arts Festival is run by an independent charitable trust, which receives core funding from the Council and sponsorship from 56 national and local businesses.
Never mind the running of the rams — sparks will fly in a battle of the bulls during the Christchurch Festival of the Arts from 21 July to 8 August. Two of the life- sized, fire- breathing tin bulls will clash on Worcester Boulevard on Saturday, July 24.

For a festival programme, call 0800 4 ARTS 99 (0800 4 2787 99).

Cycleway Opens
Good news for cyclists in northwest Christchurch — the first section of the Papanui Cycleway has opened.
Next to the railway line and proposed to link Papanui to Riccarton, the cycleway is part of the Council’s $750,000 a year allocated to make the City a better place for cyclists.
The first 1.1km of the cycleway is now open, stretching from St James Park to Wairakei Rd. The next stage, continuing to Fendalton Rd, is due for completion in June 2000, with the final section, to Matai St, expected to be finished in mid- 2001. When completed the cycleway will be accessible from at least six connection points and will take up to 1200 cyclists every day.

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