Using his martial-law powers, CD boss Hamilton militarized the CBD-cordon, dividing it into zones, manned by NZDF-checkpoints. We would endure NZDF-cordoned zones for 28 months. When CERA took over from CD, military jargon & NZDF-checkpoints would continue.
Cordons & military-censorship: For three weeks post 22 February 2011 quake, only cops were allowed photographs inside the CBD-cordon. Thereafter, media showed little about what happened inside the CBD-cordon & zones. For insider snaps, media-photographers needed media- passes from cops to do military-tours of CBD-ruins. Like me, private photographers trekked outside CBD-cordons for outsider snaps.
10.03.11. Grey portaloo, Hagley Ave, national state of emergency
Hagley Ave: People sat on grass in Hagley Park opposite Hagley College. I passed a grey-portaloo on the footpath & two tourist-buses disgorging luggage & wary tourists. Where they'd stay was moot, as accommodation was used by out of town quake-workers: USAR / TF, building-inspectors, cops, CD, media.
10.03.11. White plastic & red plastic, tape cordon. Feb 22 quake damaged Antigua St Footbridge over Avon River, Antigua Boat Sheds, YMCA backdrop, national state of emergency
DANGER KEEP OUT. I couldn't cross the Avon River by Antigua Boat Shed, as Antigua St Footbridge was buckled & plastic-barrier-tape-cordoned. I trekked down quakemire-cleared Christchurch Hospital carpark, past an orange-plastic-bollard-cordon & crossed Avon River via the Hospital Bridge.
Rolleston Ave: I trekked by the zone 1 cordon: plastic-barrier-tape & steel-mesh-fence-cordon. Botanic Gardens gates were locked. Cars were allowed along that section of Rolleston Ave, but there were few vehicles. Rolleston Ave, zone 1 cordon, usually teemed with tourists, tourist-buses, foot-traffic & vehicle-traffic, office-workers, school-boys, people going about business & pleasure.
10.03.11. Orange, plastic bollard cordon by Feb 22 liquefactioned carpark, Christchurch Hospital, Rolleston Ave, national state of emergency
Zone 1 cordon was deserted except for more NZDF-soldiers at checkpoints than civilians. Plenty of CD workers, building-inspectors & workmen repairing buildings. The closer I got to Central Police multi-storey, foot-cops & cop-cars drifted by.
10.03.11. Orange, plastic, road cones, white plastic tape, steel mesh fence cordon. Feb 22 quake damaged Arts Centre (bldgs also damaged by the Sept 4 quake) Rolleston Ave / Hereford St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency. The Arts Centre would be repaired
10.03.11. Yellow, plastic tape, steel mesh fence cordon. Feb 22 quake damaged, Canterbury Museum, Rolleston Ave, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. Feb 22 quake damaged Arts Centre (bldgs also damaged in Sept 4 quake) Rolleston Ave / Worcester Blvd, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency. The Arts Centre would be repaired
Rolleston Ave: Plastic-barrier-tape formed an avenue on the footpath by Botanic Gardens for walkers & joggers. I passed the YMCA & steel-mesh-fence-cordoned Arts Centre ruin, greystone & whitestone rubble on the footpath. Old stone-buildings were damaged in the 4 September 2010 quake. They were more damaged by the 22 February 2011 quake.
Rolleston Ave / Worcester Blvd: Greystone Canterbury Museum, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned, but outside it looked undamaged. I snapped fence-cordoned Worcester Blvd, cranes by the ruined Arts Centre. I zoom-snapped Christ Church Cathedral ruin, its toppled-tower obscured by Worcester Blvd trees.
10.03.11. White, plastic tape, orange, plastic road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Yellow crane truck, Zone 1 cordon, Rolleston Ave view, red zone cordoned Worcester Blvd, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. Zone 1 cordon, Rolleston Ave view, red zone cordoned Worcester Blvd to Christ Church Cathedral, collapsed tower obscured by trees, National State of Emergency. The rose window facade would collapse in the 13.06.11 quake
Rolleston Ave / Worcester Blvd: A Maori woman in orange, Hi-Vis vest leaned on the greystone-plinth of the Godley statue, which fell during the 22 February 2011 quake. She stared down deserted Worcester Blvd. "You've got the best view in town," I said. She laughed.
Rolleston Ave: Christ's College: Broken-windows. Workmen in a crane-boom-box inspected the school's greystone-parapets. Stonework had sheared off above some windows. Through the school-gate, I saw damage to a stone-gable & slate-roof across Christ's College grassy courtyard. KEEP CLEAR & DANGER KEEP OUT threat-signs hung on the school-gate. Two Hi-Vis vested workmen lounged by the school-office, a truck parked inside the gate. Post 2 February 2011 quake, besides ubiquitous DANGER plastic-barrier-tape-cordons, threat-signs proliferated, like construction-signs & demolition-signs.
10.03.11. Silver crane hoisted workman inspecting Feb 22 quake damaged parapet, Christ's College, Rolleston Ave, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Feb 22 quake broken windows, Christ's College, Rolleston Ave, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. DANGER after Feb 22 quake, Christ's College entrance, Rolleston Ave, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Feb 22 quake damaged bldgs, Christ's College, Rolleston Ave, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
Four God Pimps minced past wearing yellow, Hi-Vis jackets, each labelled: CHAPLAIN. Their God hadn't stopped collapse of many Christchurch churches. I snapped music-stands, jumbled on an airbridge between Christ's College buildings.
10.03.11. Airbridge. Feb 22 quake jumbled music stands, Christ's College, Rolleston Ave, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
Rolleston Ave / Armagh St: The join of zone 1 & still forbidden, steel-meshed-fence-cordoned Zone 4 along Park Tce: NZDF-soldiers & a Singapore-soldier stood guard by a beige Unimog. Days before, I'd seen slack NZDF-soldiers seated by a table, chatting up girls at that checkpoint beside Avon River. Thursday's zone 1, NZDF & Singapore checkpoint-soldiers looked smarter, more alert.
10.03.11. Hi-Vis vested, NZDF soldiers at steel mesh fence cordon, zone 1 / zone 4 cordons, Park Tce / Armagh St, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. Orange, Hi-Vis vested, Singapore soldier at cordon, zone 1 / zone 4 cordons, Rolleston Ave / Armagh St, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. NZDF beige Unimog behind zone 4 cordon fence, Rolleston Ave / Armagh St, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Feb 22 quake toppled brick wall, Armagh St, zone 4 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Yellow, plastic, tape cordon. Feb 22 quake collapsed brick walls, Armagh St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Red & blue crane truck, Feb 22 liquefaction silt, zone 1 cordon, Armagh St, national state of emergency
10.03.11. White, plastic, tape cordon. Feb 22 quake collapsed, brick parapet, zone 1 cordon, Armagh St, national state of emergency
Armagh St: Roadside quakemire-heaps. Fallen brick garden-walls & fallen house-parapet on footpath & garden, plastic-barrier-tape-cordoned. I veered round a steel-mesh-fence-cordoned building. Cranmer Sq was steel-mesh-fence-cordoned, a blue-portaloo was under a tree. After damage in the 4 September 2010 quake, three-storey, brick Cranmer Centre was ruined in the 22 February 2011 quake. HAZARD & KEEP OUT threat-signs hung on the cordon-fence. Two Hi-Vis vested building-inspectors checked Cranmer Centre in the steel-mesh-fence-cordon while I passed. Cranmer Centre was scaffolded. Brick-gables were ripped-off. Brick-walls fell Montreal St side, exposing two rooms; rubble on footpath & road. Cranmer Centre would soon be demolished.
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon & blue portaloo, Cranmer Sq, between zone 1 & zone 4 cordons, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Sept 4 quake damaged, Feb 22 quake trashed, scaffolded, Cranmer Centre, Armagh St / Montreal St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency. Cranmer Centre would be demolished
Montreal St: Steel-mesh-fence-cordoned. Opposite Cranmer Centre, brick Windsor Hotel was ruined, bricks fallen, USAR / TF graffiti on the brick-wall by the front door, red-stickered, DANGER KEEP OUT white-plastic-barrier-tape-cordoned. The reason why Windsor Hotel scaffolding hadn't completely collapsed: a new tilt-slab building alongside held Windsor Hotel scaffolding up. Windsor Hotel ruin would soon be demolished.
Windsor Hotel: Red-stickered. USAR / TF was pink spray-painted in a square & circle on the cracked brick-verandah wall:
QLDTF1
1845
27.2
10.03.11. Sept 4 quake damaged, Feb 22 quake trashed Windsor Hotel, Armagh St / Montreal St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency. Windsor Hotel would be demolished
10.03.11. DANGER KEEP OUT. Feb 22 quake trashed, white, plastic, tape cordoned, Windsor Hotel, Armagh St. CLEAR is USAR / TF graffito for no bodies. Windsor Hotel would be demolished
Armagh St / Cranmer Sq: Paired NZD-soldier & Singapore-soldier guarded Braemar Apartments. They sat on two looted(?) chairs. Beyond Cranmer Sq, I saw greystone, Cranmer Court ruin Kilmore St. Cranmer Court was badly damaged by the 4 September 2010 quake too. Building inspectors would have much explaining to do once 22 February 2011 dust settled.
Post 2011 Xmas Quake Swarm, Cranmer Court would be demolished in 2012, after public-protests. A decade post-quakes, new Cranmer Terraces townhouses would be built on-site.
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon around quake damaged, road drain. Feb 22 quake trashed B & B's, yellow, plastic tape cordoned, zone 1 cordon, Armagh St, national state of emergency
Armagh St: I snapped old, wood & brick B & B's: One two-storey B & B: brick side-wall fallen, exposing rooms, walls USAR / TF graffitied. Another B & B: Evacuation by owners, the front-door taken off, footpath slimed by thick, grey-quakemire, RESTRICTED AREA yellow-plastic-barrier-tape-cordoned. The Devon B & B: front-door red-stickered, USAR / TF pink-graffitied, bricks fallen into carpark. DANGER KEEP OUT white-plastic-barrier-tape-cordoned. Neighbouring modern buildings stood up well to the 22 February 2011 quake.
The Devon, red-stickered. USAR / TF pink spray-painted in a square & circle on the front door:
NG
QLDTF1
22.16
27.2.11
I saw many modern buildings, like high-rises, in the CBD-cordon which survived the 22 February 2011 quake. International cash-donations for Christchurch rebuild were helped by sensational media-reporting. The Japanese quake, tsunami & Fukushima nuclear radiation would soon stop rebuild-donations flowing into Christchurch.
10.03.11. Red stickered door on pavement. RESTRICTED AREA. Yellow, plastic, tape cordon. Feb 22 quake liquefactioned B & B, Armagh St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. White, plastic, tape cordon. The Devon B & B, liquefactioned, red stickered, USAR / TF graffitied. Collapsed old, brick wall in carpark, Armagh St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
I Passed four building-inspectors wearing hard-hats: two were orange-overalled, one wearing an orange, Hi-Vis Vest, one wearing a yellow, Hi-Vis vest. Two fire-engines passed whipping up grey liquefaction-dust.
Armagh St / Durham St Nth crossing: Checkpoint guarded by one NZDF-soldier, one Singapore-soldier. Zone 1, steel-mesh-fence-cordon turned at right-angles across Durham St Nth / Armagh St towards Avon River. In the opposite direction along Durham St Nth, the right-angled fence-cordon joined zone 4, with three yellow, Hi-Vis vested cops relaxing on chairs in the cordon, near the casino. Up Durham St Nth, three church-organ-fixers from Timaru were killed when the greystone Methodist Church collapsed in the 22 February 2011 quake. Stone-rubble still lay on the road. Fence-cordoned Methodist Church ruin was already damaged by the 4 September 2010 quake. Who had allowed those three organ-fixers into the Methodist Church?
2019. Durham St Methodist Church would be rebuilt modern style, an ugly building with a truncated tower. Tall church-towers would be passe in post-quake rebuilds. Example: 2021-22. St Mary's Catholic Church, Afghan St, Pleasant Point would be demolished & rebuilt, sans tower.
Down Armagh St, just beyond the steel-mesh-fence-cordoned, red-zone: a stone rubble-heap between the old, stone, intact, Law Court building & the wooden-section of the 22 February 2011 ruined, old, stone Provincial Chambers, roof-trusses & a second-storey room exposed. Down Durham St Nth, red-stickered, 1853 Provincial Chambers, having survived Victorian times & a century of passing motor-traffic: greystone-walls, slate-roof & scaffolding had collapsed onto the road, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned too. After many years' lockdown, Provincial Chambers would be restored. Opposite Amuri Courts wall was pink USAR / TF graffitied. Amuri Courts would be demolished, 2012, replaced by Awly Building, a multi-storey office rebuild, opened 2016.
10.03.11. Orange overalled & Hi-Vis vested, bldg inspectors, zone 1 cordon, Armagh St, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Fire engines & Feb 22 liquefaction dust, zone 1 cordon, Armagh St, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. NZDF soldier, Singapore soldier, rubberneckers, zone 1 / zone 4 crossing, Armagh St / Durham St Nth crossing, national state of emergency. Methodist Church left, collapsed in the Feb 22 quake, killing 3 people
10.03.11. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Rubbernecker cyclist, Singapore soldier, no access, red zone cordon, Armagh St / Durham St Nth, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Red, plastic tape, steel mesh fence cordon. Zone 1 cordon, Durham St Nth view into red zone, Armagh St, national state of emergency. PWC right would be demolished for the new RC Cathedral precinct
10.03.11. Photographer. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Armagh St / Durham St Nth crossing view, abandoned, red zone CBD. PWC middle would be demolished for the new RC Cathedral precinct. Victoria Square flats & Craigs House right would be demolished for the new Convention Centre
The new Convention Centre would be built on Victoria Square Flats & Craigs House demolition-sites.
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. Sept 4 quake damaged, Feb 22 quake trashed Provincial Chambers, Durham St Nth / Gloucester St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency. Abandoned Rydges Hotel & Clarendon Tower beyond. Clarendon Tower would be demolished
10.03.12. Red, plastic tape, steel mesh fence cordon. Sept 4 quake damaged, Feb 22 quake trashed Provincial Chambers, Durham St Nth / Gloucester St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency.
10.03.11. Orange, plastic, road cones, white, plastic, tape cordon. 3 NZDF soldiers, Singapore soldier & blonde, zone 1 cordon, Gloucester St / Cambridge Tce, national state of emergency
Cambridge Tce / Gloucester St checkpoint: White-plastic-barrier-tape-cordoned. NO ENTRY road-sign by ruined Provincial Chambers. Three NZDF-soldiers & one Singapore-soldier chatted to a blonde. Gloucester St ruins: CBD high-rises, Farmers, Grant Thornton, Central Library. Lift-shaft-glass was gone on Brannigans. Next-door, red-brick Caffe Roma's brick-parapet was gone. Brannigans would be demolished, although it looked OK on the outside, it was stuffed inside by serial quakes: walls cracked, floor connections gone, foundations gone. Caffe Roma would survive the quakes & vagrants.
10.03.11. Orange, plastic, road cones, white, plastic tape, steel mesh fence cordon. Zone 1 cordon, Cambridge Tce E view down Gloucester St in the red zone, national state of emergency. Post 2011 quakes, most bdgs in the pic would be demolished, incl Christchurch Library & Farmers left
10.03.11. NO ENTRY sign. Orange, plastic, road cones, white, plastic tape, steel mesh fence cordon. Feb 22 quake trashed Brannigans (would be demolished) Cambridge Tce, red zone, national state of emergency
10.03.11. White, plastic, tape cordon. Zone 1 cordon, Cambridge Tce view across Avon River to Oxford Tce in the CBD red zone, national state of emergency. Brannigans left & Grant Thornton middle would be demolished. Brick red, Caffe Roma would survive the 2010-13 quakes
Cambridge Tce, then Durham St Sth: No access, red-zone, fence-cordons at crossings, guarded by NZDF-soldiers & Singapore- soldiers. I saw modern buildings OK in the CBD, high-rises too, both sides of Avon River.
Worcester St Bridge checkpoint: Guarded by one NZDF-soldier & one Singapore-soldier. CBD steel-mesh-fence-cordon, no access, red- zone. Opposite red-stickered, Harley ghost, three orange, Hi-Vis vested workmen wearing yellow hard-hats, boarded ground-floor windows. Harley ghost would survive the quakes, an eyesore. Why would CERA & Council allow that red-stickered, asbestos-riddled ghost to stay undemolished on busy Cambridge Tce roadside for many years? 2023. Harley ghost was still undemolised!
10.03.11. Orange, Hi-Vis vested workmen boarding Feb 22 quake broken, Harley windows, zone 1 cordon, Cambridge Tce, national state of emergency. Harley window panes were replaced post Sept 4 quake too
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. Cambridge Tce, zone 1 cordon view of unused punt on Avon River, post Feb 22 quake, to Oxford Tce in the CBD red zone, national state of emergency
Worcester St Bridge / Oxford Tce: Old, brick, steel-braced, Our City ghost was more damaged by the 22 February 2011 quake. Beside Our City, near the women's-suffrage bronze-statue, a wooden-punt floated on the Avon, unused post 22 February 2011. CBD-tourism was kaput, as CBD- hotels were closed & would be military-cordoned for 28 months. Two cranes stood beyond Worcester St Bridge. Christ Church Cathedral's collapsed tower was obscured by leafy trees, Cathedral Sq.
10.03.11. Singapore soldier, Worcester St Bridge cordon, between zone 1 cordon & CBD red zone, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Worcester St Bridge view, zone 1 cordon, up Worcester Blvd to the red zone enclave at the Art Gallery, Civil Defence HQ right, national state of emergency
10.03.11. NZDF soldier, Singapore soldier, Worcester St Bridge, zone 1 cordon at CBD red zone, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. Yellow crane truck, Zone 1 cordon view over Worcester St Bridge to the CBD red zone & Cathedral Sq, national state of emergency. Clarendon Tower right & Grant Thornton bldg mid left would be demolished
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. Yellow crane truck, Zone 1 cordon view over Worcester St Bridge to the Feb 22 quake damaged dome of Southern Encounter Aquarium / Regent Theatre, Cathedral Sq, in the CBD red zone, national state of emergency. The dome would be removed & lie on the street for months. Regent Theatre would be demolished
10.03.11. Yellow Hi-Vis vested rubbernecker, steel mesh fence cordon. Yellow crane truck, Zone 1 cordon view over Worcester St Bridge towards Sept 4 quake & Feb 22 quake damaged Clarendon Tower, Oxford Tce, CBD red zone, national state of emergency. Clarendon Tower right would be demolished
Worcester St Bridge checkpoint view: In the no access red-zone, the red-dome of Southern Encounter Aquarium / Regent Theatre ghost, Cathedral Sq, was 22 February 2011 quake-damaged. Clarendon Tower ghost's white-painted, stone-facade, Oxford Tce / Cathedral Sq, was damaged in the 4 September 2010 quake & was more damaged, on the parapet, by the 22 February 2011 quake. USAR / TF, CLEAR pink-graffito was spray-painted on Clarendon Tower facade, Oxford Tce. Clear meant no bodies. Regent Theatre & Clarendon Tower would be demolished. White-marble, Sir Robert Scott, Antarctic explorer statute lay face-down, toppled on the grass beside Avon River.
10.03.11. Sept 4 quake & Feb 22 quake damaged Our City by Worcester St Bridge, Oxford Tce in the CBD red zone cordon, national state of emergency. Our City would be mothballed for years. 2021. Refurbishment would begin. Rydges Hotel behind would be mothballed longer
10.03.11. Feb 22 quake toppled Sir Robert Scott statue, Oxford Tce, red zone cordon, national state of emergency. USAR / TF graffiti on Clarendon Tower facade, CLEAR meant no bodies
Worcester Blvd: Glassy Art Gallery doubled as CD HQ, in an enclave of the no access red-zone cordon. Civilians wandered past, CD workers too. Opposite, the glass-side of the new Council high-rise stood up well to the 22 February 2011 quake. No glass-walls on the new Art Gallery nor new Council building were broken by the 22 February 2011 quake. Both new buildings had internal damages needing repairs.
10.03.11. Zone 1 cordon view, liquefaction dusty Cambridge Tce, national state of emergency. Harley left would be an abandoned eyesore for the next decade
10.03.11. Zone 1 cordon, Cambridge Tce view, Sept 4 quake & Feb 22 quake damaged, old, brick bldg below new, quake damaged Christchurch Council bldg.
Below the new Council building, brick gables fell off an old brick-building. Hereford St side, I watched two orange, Hi-Vis vested abseilers checking beneath eaves of the new Council building.
Cambridge Tce/ Hereford St: Two cops stood by the door of multi-storey Central Police, other cops ambled Cambridge Tce, like a beach road, gritty liquefaction-sand underfoot & windblown dust. Central Police was later abandoned, cops would move to a temporary Central Police, St Asaph St / Antigua St. Central Police would be imploded, 31.05.15. 2017. The new Justice & Emergency Services Precinct would open, Durham St Sth / Lichfield St / Tuam St . Cop HQ would transfer there.
10.03.11. Cop & Zone 1 cordon, Cambridge Tce view, steel mesh fence cordon & shipping containers bracing a Sept 4 quake & Feb 22 quake damaged, brick bldg below the new, quake damaged Christchurch Council bldg, national state of emergency
The Press reported that cops were reluctant to work in Central Police post 22 February 2011, as they feared their high-rise could collapse, like CTV multi-storey did. I can't blame them, as I was wary of going into tall buildings post-quakes.
Hereford St Bridge checkpoint: Guarded by one Singapore-soldier. CBD was steel-mesh-fence-cordoned across Hereford St. Cambridge Tce: I snapped 1873 Library Chambers ghost, brick & Oamaru whitestone, damaged by the 22 February 2011 quake, brick-gable fallen, parapet blue nylon-strapped. South corner, upper brickwork & Oamaru whitestones were loose. Library Chambers would be demolished.
10.03.11. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel fence & steel mesh fence cordon. Zone 1 cordon, Cambridge Tce view, Feb 22 quake damaged, old, brick Library Chambers below Central Police left & Christchurch Council right, national state of emergency. Central Police would be imploded, Library Chambers would be demolished.
10.03.11. Zone 1 cordon, Cambridge Tce view, Feb 22 quake damaged Library Chambers, below Christchurch Council, national state of emergency. Library Chambers would be demolished. New Christchurch Council behind was quake damaged & would be repaired
10.03.11. Orange, Hi-Vis vested abseilers checking back wall, below eaves of new, quake damaged, Christchurch Council bldg, Hereford St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
Hereford St Bridge: I snapped Hereford St ghosts in the no access, CBD red-zone, damaged by the 4 September 2010 quake & Boxing Day Quake, more damaged by the 22 February 2011 quake. High-rises were abandoned, many would be demolished.
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. Zone 1 cordon, Cambridge Tce view, Feb 22 liquefaction silt, Hereford St Bridge, CBD red zone, national state of emergency. Singapore soldier by cordon fence. Many abandoned Hereford St bldgs in the pic would be demolished
10.03.11. Steel fence & steel mesh fence cordon. Singapore soldier guarding CBD red zone, Hereford St Bridge, national state of emergency. It took 8+ months, post Feb 22 quake, for a Hereford St niche to be opened to the public, when Cashel Mall would be part reopened with shipping container shops. (Restart Cashel Mall). Most Hereford St bldgs in the pic would be demolished
10.03.11. Steel fence & steel mesh fence cordon. Hereford St Bridge view, CBD red zone, national state of emergency. The abandoned bldgs would be demolished
10.03.11. Zone 1 cordon, Cambridge Tce view over Avon River into CBD red zone, Oxford Tce, by Hereford St Bridge, national state of emergency
Cambridge Tce: I trekked beside Avon River beneath shady trees. I saw a 2007 bronze-statue of Henry Nicholas, VC, WW1 hero. Two old guys on wheelchairs, beside the Avon, beneath the trees, looked over Avon River at Oxford Tce ruined-cafes & ruined high-rises beyond. They watched two orange, Hi-Vis vested, yellow hard-hatted, building-inspectors on Oxford Tce. They chatted to an orange, Hi-Vis vested male cyclist, while a young couple wandered past, looking into the no access, CBD red-zone. Most of the red-zone, CBD-ruins they viewed would be demolished.
10.03.11. Henry Nicholas, VC, WW1 statue, Avon River bank, Cambridge Tce, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Cambridge Tce, zone 1 cordon, rubberneckers viewing Oxford Tce cafes in CBD red zone cordon, national state of emergency. Abandoned cafes would be demolished & rebuilt as The Terrace. Abandoned Hotel Grand Chancellor right would be demolished
Cashel St, Bridge of Remembrance, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned: Guarded by one NZDF-soldier peering over the bridge span into Avon River waters. Bridge brick-steps were 22 February 2011 cracked. Bridge-abutments below the Memorial Arch were damaged. I snapped four hard-hatted cops going up the steps into the no access, CBD red-zone. The Memorial Arch & cordoned-steps made it hard for me to see 22 February 2011 damages in Cashel Mall, also damaged in the Boxing Day Quake. Bridge of Remembrance would be restored, 2014-15. Many Cashel Mall buildings would be demolished.
10.03.11. Plastic, hard hatted cops entering CBD red zone cordon at Cashel St, Bridge of Remembrance, national state of emergency. DTZ behind would be demolished
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. NZDF soldier guarding Cashel St Bridge of Remembrance, between zone 1 cordon & CBD red zone cordon, national state of emergency. DTZ behind would be demolished
ROAD CLOSED. I trekked south along Durham St Sth past intersections: Lichfield St, Tuam S, St Asaph St, all steel-mesh-fence-cordoned at the no access, CBD red-zone, guarded by NZDF-soldiers & Singapore-soldiers & an olive troop-vehicle beyond a flower-bed by Lichfield St corner. Opposite South City carpark next to Warehouse Stationery, St John ambulances were parked in a line awaiting action. Although it was mid-afternoon on Thursday, few businesses were open in zone 1, those that were open did little business, customers were scared off. Liquefaction-sand, cordon-fences everywhere.
10.03.11. Olive NZDF vehicle & St John Ambulance. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. Zone 1 cordon, alongside CBD red zone cordon, Lichfield St / Durham St South, national state of emergency
10.03.11. ROAD CLOSED. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Durham St South, zone 1 cordon view down Lichfield St into the CBD red zone cordon, national state of emergency. It took 6 months for this cordon niche to be opened to the public
10.03.11. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. NZDF vehicle, Lichfield St in the CBD red zone cordon, national state of emergency. It took 6 months for this cordon niche to be opened to the public
10.03.11. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Durham St South, zone 1 cordon view, Singapore & NZDF soldiers at Tuam St, CBD red zone cordon, national state of emergency. It took 6 months for this cordon niche to be opened to the public
10.03.11. Steel mesh fence cordon. Durham St Sth view, Feb 22 quake damaged bldgs in the CBD red zone cordon, Tuam St, national state of emergency. During the Feb 22 quake, 8 red bus passengers were killed by falling masonry near Tuam St / Colombo St cnr
10.03.11. ROAD CLOSED. Orange, plastic, road cones, yellow, plastic tape, orange, plastic, fence cordon. Zone 1 cordon, Durham St South view down Mollett St, national state of emergency. During the Feb 22 quake, 4 pedestrians were killed by falling masonry near Colombo St / Mollett St junction
10.03.11. White, plastic, tape cordon. Feb 22 quake damaged avon bridal, Durham St South, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. AMBULANCE LOADING. St John ambulances, South City mall, Durham St South, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. NZDF soldier & Singapore soldier, Durham St South / St Asaph St, zone 1 cordon / CBD red zone cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. ROAD CLOSED. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Durham St South, zone 1 cordon view down St Asaph St in the CBD red zone cordon, national state of emergency. St John HQ bldg right was badly damage by the Feb 22 quake
Durham St Sth / Tuam St: Guarded by one NZDF-soldier, one Singapore-soldier. Steel-mesh-fence-cordon. Old brick-parapets fallen.
Mollett St: Two-storey, upper corner brick-walls fallen. Brick-rubble on footpath. Distant shipping-containers obscured Colombo St side. Four pedestrians were killed there, by falling masonry in the 22 February 2011 quake. A cloud of demolition-dust swirled beyond the containers, obscuring action in the no access, red-zone CBD-cordon. Old engineering mistakes & recent 4 September 2010 quake, building-inspection mistakes were being buried in clouds of demolition-dust in the CBD-cordon. Christchurch-CBD was strangled by military- cordons!
Six months later, public would still be banned access to the CBD-cordoned red-zone. Post 22 February 2011, it would be 28 months before red-zone cordons were part-removed & occupying-soldiers departed.
Durham St Sth / St Asaph St: Orange-plastic-road-cones, steel-mesh-fence-cordon, guarded by one NZDF-soldier, one Singapore-soldier checking his cell-phone. The occupying-soldiers looked bored.
Durham St Sth: Avon Bridal, brick-gable fallen, brick-rubble in carpark, white-plastic-tape-cordoned. The brick-wall was USAR / TF orange spray-painted in a square & circle:
24 FEB
TAIWAN
As the Taiwan USAR / TF graffiti recorded no time, it was inconsistent with the times given on Queensland USAR / TF graffiti above. So how consistent were overseas USAR / TF teams in their searches of smashed-buildings?
A Grand Affair, brick side-wall was cracked, parapet fallen, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned. Kodak Photo Warehouse, brick side-wall was cracked, parapet-fallen, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned. Across the road, a two-storey, modern concrete-building, undamaged.
10.03.11. Feb 22 quake damaged, brick bldg, Durham St South, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Feb 22 quake damaged, old brick parapet, Durham St South, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
10.03.11. Mod bldg, undamaged by the Feb 22 quake, Durham St South, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
Moorhouse Ave & Montreal St: En route I saw mostly closed businesses, some open businesses in zone 1 cordon. I snapped a couple of broken-buildings, one where a blue-digger removed roadside brick-rubble, while workmen boarded up the building frontage, where the brick-wall fell, exposing rooms & attic.
10.03.11. Blue digger removing rubble by Feb 22 quake damaged bldg, Montreal St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency. The bldg wall was boarded for years post quake
Wilmer St: Red-stickered, old, white brick-building, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned. Roof collapsed, due to a fallen brick-parapet, brick- rubble on footpath, bricks fallen onto neighbouring roofs, like the Carshine building. I saw ruins like that all over Christchurch: old brick-buildings or old stone-stone buildings quake-trashed & damaging neighbouring buildings.
Montreal St: I looked into the window of green-stickered Canterbury Ballet. Two-inch-thick, grey-quakemire lay on carpets. Grey-mud lay on the liquefaction-mounded footpath too. Why was that quakemired building green-stickered? Imagine dried-shit, dried-spores & dried-muck infesting that building for years.
10.03.11. Orange, plastic, road cones, white, plastic tape, steel mesh fence cordon. Feb 22 quake damaged, brick bldg, Wilmer St, zone 1 cordon, national state of emergency
Trekking back to my car, car-sale businesses stagnated, a whiff of sewage in the air. I turned into St Asaph St & trekked past DB Brewery, red & black, high brick-walls, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned. Christchurch Hospital's tall concrete-chimney stood opposite. I was spooked again, imagining those buildings falling in an aftershock, I'd be squashed! DB Brewery would be demolished, 2013, for CERA's Blueprint Metro Sports Facility.
That night, TV news featured a blind, WW2 navy veteran, in his eighties, who'd waited for help in his flat for two days post 22 February 2011 quake, power off, surviving on fruit & crisps. When he wandered the ruined-CBD, with his blind-man stick, a cop found him, gave him food & later TV interviewed him in his flat. Cop propaganda, using a blind, old war vet as TV fodder, proudly showing off his war medals, reminiscing. When I did our family shopping, I often saw that navy man wandering Northlands Mall, with his stick & Merivale McDonald's, without his stick.
Several aftershocks that Thursday, including a M4.5 at 8.07pm (GeoNet) which bounced me in my car, while I waited for Leah doing shopping at Fendalton Mall. We were used to 1 000s of aftershocks over the last six months. A man seated at an Indian restaurant table on the verandah sipped his chardonnay in the twilight, while three ladies in the beauty-salon next-door didn't budge while the aftershock shook us all. Leah shopped & returned wide-eyed.
*Trekked Hagley Ave, Rolleston Ave, Armagh St, Durham St Nth, Gloucester St, Cambridge Tce, Worcester St Bridge, Durham St Sth, Montreal St, Wilmer St. 135 snaps.
Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.
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