Christchurch City Libraries blog hosts a series of regular podcasts from New Zealand’s only specialist human rights radio show Speak up – Kōrerotia. This show is created by Sally Carlton.
The latest episode deals with youth suicide. New Zealand has high rates of youth suicide, especially among Māori and Pasifika populations.
Part I: Sir Peter Gluckman (Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor)
Youth suicide statistics in NZ and elsewhere; possible reasons; the importance of providing supportive contexts for young people.
Parts II and III: Jackie Burrows and Tanith Petersen (He Waka Tapu) and Wesley Mauafu (PYLAT – Pacific Youth Leadership and Transformation). Possible reasons; situation among different ethnic groups; situation in post-earthquake Christchurch and Elements for youth suicide prevention initiatives – sport, music, support, etc.
Seven years ago Christchurch was hit by an earthquake that killed 185 people. It’s a sad anniversary, and sometimes it is hard to know how – or where – to commemorate it. For the last seven years, my way has been to walk and think and take some photos. This morning I visited the former CTV site on the corner of Cashel and Madras Street. Ōtākaro Limited has landscaped the site, and it opened to the public today.
Diagonally across the road, is the 185 empty chairs installation by Peter Majendie. This is an artwork that rends your heart. I’ve only be able to stand near it, and somehow felt the chairs were sacred. But today, Peter and some helpers were cleaning the rain and water off the chairs so I joined in and helped. It felt profound.
The seventh anniversary of the 22 February 2011 quake is on this Thursday 22 February. There are places where the community can come together to reflect, and remember.
Service at the Oi Manawa Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial
The seventh anniversary of the 22 February Canterbury Earthquake will be marked with a public Civic Service at the Oi Manawa Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial site. The service will begin at 12:30pm at the Memorial site on the corner of Montreal Street and Cambridge Terrace. The service is expected to take around 45 minutes, followed by the opportunity to lay floral tributes at the Memorial Wall across the river. It will be livestreamed on the Christchurch City Council website for those who can’t be there.
The site is now owned by Crown development company Ōtākaro, which has been working since October to turn the space into a peaceful and reflective memorial to those who lost their lives.
185 Chairs – Earthquake Remembrance Art Installation
Some people find this a place of contemplation and remembrance. The 185 chairs installation was created by artist Peter Majendie and is currently located on the corner of Madras and Cashel Streets.
Earthquakes and Butterflies – Theatre of Transformation (22 to 25 February at the Christchurch Transitional Cathedral)
Earthquakes and Butterflies is an exciting professional theatre piece directed by Helen Moran, shaped from the life stories of a cluster of people whose lives crisscross like the fault lines under the city. Based on the novel by Kathleen Gallagher, Earthquakes & Butterflies is full of hope, humour and tenderness – strangers help unasked, generosity is freely given and shelter is for sharing.
Our community remember the 22 February 2011 earthquake in a number of ways – by visiting a particular place, or by having a moment of silence and remembrance. We share that reflection together, wherever we are.
The sixth anniversary of the 22 February 2011 quake is on this Wednesday 22 February. There are events on for the community to come together to reflect, and remember.
Oi Manawa Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial Dedication and Civic Memorial Service
Where: Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, between the Montreal Street Bridge and Durham Street, Central City, Christchurch
When: Wednesday 22 February 2017, 12 noon to 2pm
Who: All welcome.
Oi Manawa Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial will be a place for people to reflect on the devastating earthquakes that changed Canterbury and its communities forever, honouring those who lost their lives on 22 February 2011, acknowledging those who were seriously injured and everyone who helped in the rescue and recovery operation.
River of Flowers Earthquake Commemorations on 22 February
River of Flowers will take place at sites along the waterway including:
Earthquake Memorial Avon River bank cnr Oxford Terrace and Montreal Street. O-Tautahi /The Bricks Barbadoes Street bridge and diagonal adjoining riverbanks.
St Albans
St Albans Creek, ASB Park.
Wainoni/Avonside
Pre-Service at Methodist Church on Avonside Drive (opposite Porritt Park).
River of Flowers Earthquake Commemorations provide people with a chance to be together across the city to commemorate the sixth anniversary of Canterbury’s earthquakes. This ongoing partnership between Flourish-Inc-ChCh and Avon-Ōtākaro Network supports sites along Canterbury waterways and this year will be part of the unveiling of the National Earthquake Memorial.
Our community remember the 22 February 2011 earthquake in a number of ways – by visiting a particular place, or by having a moment of silence and remembrance. We share that reflection together, wherever we are.
Arohanui, Christchurch. Here are some photos of our city this morning as we remember the earthquake, five years ago today. Our love goes out to those who lost those dear to them, and to those still suffering. Our thanks to those who are here to help us regroup and rebuild.
The fifth anniversary of the 22 February 2011 quake is on Monday 22 February 2016. There are some events on for the community to come together and reflect, and remember.
Civic Memorial Service
A Civic Memorial Service will be held at midday on the Archery Lawn in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and all members of the public are welcome to attend. The Mayor will give an address at the service. A minute’s silence will be observed at 12.51pm and the service is expected to end about 1pm. The service will also be livestreamed if you’d like to attend but can’t be there.
River of Flowers event on 22 February
River of Flowers will take place at over 20 sites along the waterway. It is organised by the Avon-Otakaro Network and Flourish Inc.
This event was first held on 22 February 2012, and is a way for the city to come together and let go through dropping flowers into the river, and to share two minutes of silence to remember those who have died, been injured, or who have lost their homes
Bloom at Canterbury Museum
Bloom is an exhibition commemorating the fifth anniversary of the 22 February 2011 earthquake through poetry, stories and flowers.
The Roots of Christchurch
This yoga event at The Commons promises to be “a very special mindful meditation-yoga class experience”.
Smash Palace
Earthquake party 6pm. “Five years since the earthquake that changed our lives. Come down for a beer and a burger and remember the day that Christchurch shook. We’ve got TV3 Story coming down to shoot their news from here and the Mammy’s Boys playing from 7pm.”
A run to remember – Sunday 21 February
Mitre 10 MEGA – A Run to Remember is a 10km charity fun run/walk to honour those who lost their lives in the February 2011 earthquake. New Zealand Red Cross benefits from funds raised.
Knox Church. Christchurch. Friday 4 September 2015. Flickr 2015-09-04-IMG_9109
The Central Library on Gloucester Street, soon after the quake.
WiFi users outside the Central Library Even though the library is closed due to the earthquake customers are still happy using the free Wi Fi, 7 September 2010. Flickr CCL-CE-2010-09-07-DSC01928
Five years ago today, Christchurch and Canterbury were shaken awake at 4.35am by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake. My neighbours and family wandered around the corner to see this on Victoria Street.
WiFi users outside the Central Library Even though the library is closed due to the earthquake customers are still happy using the free Wi Fi, 7 September 2010. Flickr CCL-CE-2010-09-07-DSC01928
Here’s some snippets of memory from 4 September 2010:
A few objects fell down in the house, but the kitchen was almost untouched, except for a container of oil which left a big oil slick on the floor.
After the initial drama of getting out of the house we made contact with their neighbours in the other three flats. When we had calmed a bit, we began to venture around the neighbourhood. Around the corner, the Daily Bagel building had collapsed on to the street.
We never lost power and were without water for only a short time. Our place became a gathering point for friends who came to charge phones and use the internet.
Our chimney came down.
Dad was in Dunedin and immediately hitched a ride back on a truck – probably the only person trying to get to Christchurch!
If you feel like telling your stories, visit Quake Stories.
Kia ora Christchurchians and Cantabrians, we thought you might be interested in this information from Mayor Lianne Dalziel on a dawn ceremony on 4 September 2015 – it will be five years since we all got shaken out of bed at 4.35am when a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck.
Mayor Lianne Dalziel is inviting Cantabrians to join her for a special sunrise ceremony in remembrance of the September 2010 Christchurch earthquake.
Residents are invited to gather on the beach outside the New Brighton Library from 6.10am on Friday 4 September 2015, the fifth anniversary of the first Christchurch earthquake.
A short ceremony will be held ending with a shared watching of the sunrise at approximately 6.50am.
Mayor Lianne Dalziel says, “This is the time, on the dawn of the fifth anniversary of the earthquake, to gather together as a community to reflect on our city’s journey. It is a chance to remember what we have been through since September 2010 and, as the sun rises, to look ahead to what the future may hold.”
Parking is available in the carpark north of New Brighton Library. Temporary lighting on the beach will lead you to the gathering point just past the pier.
Kia ora Shirley Library customers! We are happy to report Shirley Library will remain open during its 9-week repair programme.
From Monday 24 August 2015, Christchurch City Council is repairing the Shirley Library, near The Palms, at 36 Marshlands Road. The repairs are relatively minor and the library will remain open during the repairs. There will be some visible changes such as areas closed off or shelves moved while the repair and refurbishing work is done.
Work will take about 9 weeks and is expected to run from Monday 24 August to Monday 12 October.
As your safety is important, the Christchurch City Council and Libraries staff ask for your cooperation with all signage and warnings on site during the repair.
We look forward to mid-October when the repairs and refurbishment will be completed.
Christchurch City Libraries blog hosts a series of regular podcasts from New Zealand’s only specialist human rights radio show Speak up – Kōrerotia. This show is created by Sally Carlton.
Christchurch City Libraries Blog 