City Care - the name says it all

More and more vehicles with the name City Care on them appear each day on Christchurch streets. They belong to a substantial contracting company whose job is simply caring for the city.

City Care Ltd was formed on 1 December last year from the Works Operations Unit of the City Council. Its formation brought a change of name and a new identity. City Care will be more and more evident around the city as the more than 300 vehicles change their livery to City Care.

The company has four main operating divisions: roading; parks and waterways; utilities; and waste management. Chief executive Richard Lauder says City Care competes for contracts for the maintenance and construction of city roads.

An example is the Burwood Expressway now under construction. It is also responsible for the maintenance of most parks, as well as keeping waterways clear of weeds and well-maintained. The company maintains water and wastewater networks and installs new piping.

City Care runs the refuse transfer stations, including some of Christchurch's recycling operation. It also carries out substantial cleaning of streets and pavements. About 450 workers are employed.

City Care is about halfway through the branding conversion of its vehicle fleet and it should be finished within a month. Then the city will indeed be under City Care Ltd.