Christchurch celebrates inaugural World Parks Day

15 September 2008

Several events will be held in parks around Christchurch on Saturday (20 September), the inaugural World Parks Day. 

The day aims to highlight the benefits of having green spaces in towns and cities, and encourage communities to enjoy them. 

The following events are taking place in the Christchurch area on World Parks Day: 

• An 11km, flat walk or run from the Bottle Lake Forest Park headquarters to the Travis Wetland, where a planting will take place with spades provided.  Parking is available at the start/finish line.  Registration is from 8am, with a compulsory safety briefing for walkers at 8.50am and runners at 9.20am.  Walkers will get underway at 9am and runners at 9.30am.  Alternatively, people can come directly to the Travis Wetland to help with the planting. 
• Friends of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens member Neil O’Brien will host an hour-long walk around part of the gardens, starting from the gardens’ information centre at 2pm.  The cost is $2. 

Two other events are also being held in conjunction with Clean Up the World Week: 

• Clean Up Avon Riverbank, meeting near the Bridge of Remembrance on the corner of Cashel Street and Oxford Terrace at 10am.  The event runs until 11.30am.  Gloves, plastic bags, sunblock and spot prizes will be provided. 
• Clean Up The World Week tree planting at Waimakariri River Regional Park from 10am until 3pm.  Food and drinks provided but please bring your own planting tools.  The rain day is Sunday 21 September. 

World Parks Day is organised by Parks for Life, an association of parks professionals from Australasia, the United Kingdom and the United States.   

Today, most of the world’s almost seven billion people live in cities and, for many, urban parks provide their only opportunity to experience nature. 

Research has found parks in towns and cities improve residents’ fitness, reduce obesity, enhance mental health and wellbeing, provide for child development, reduce crime, encourage community pride and help keep the air clean. 

They also create jobs, and businesses in the vicinity of parks experience economic benefits. 

It is envisaged World Parks Day will become an annual event, held on the third Saturday of September. 

For more information contact Christchurch City Council Regional Parks Team Manager Kay Holder on 941 8797.

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