Thursday, February 21, 2013

Year 3 CERA. Second Anniversary 22.02.11 Killer Quake. Memorial Service


 

22.02.13. Flowers in orange, plastic, road cones, Wairakei Rd

 
Quake Memorial Service focus. Not a fan of public displays of emotions, I'd avoided quake Memorial Services in previous years. Friday 22.02.13. I drove down Wairakei Rd to the 22.02.11 Killer Quake Memorial Service at Latimer Sq. Like last year's anniversary, people put flowers in orange, plastic, road cones. Ilam Rd junction fence, a banner:

WE REMEMBER. Red hearts either side of the words.


22.02.13. WE REMEMBER banner, Wairakei Rd

Worcester St: I parked my car & trekked past ghost houses to Latimer Hotel rebuild. Latimer Hotel would be renamed Rydges Hotel. Across the road The Tower On Latimer was gutted, awaiting restoration.


22.02.13. Boarded, quake trashed house, Worcester St


22.02.13. Two cranes. Latimer Hotel rebuild, Worcester St / Latimer Sq. Latimer Hotel rebuild would be renamed Rydges Hotel




22.02.13. Quake boarded house. Behind, The Tower On Latimer, awaiting restoration, Worcester St / Latimer Sq


Latimer Sq: About 4 000 crowd awaited the Memorial Service. There were 2 black platforms for media cameras & a speakers' platform before the crowd by Hereford St trees. A NZ flag fluttered at half mast, next to 4 creamy, makeshift, memorial steps, a cross on top. The 4 memorial steps tapered to the cross, backdropped by Latimer Sq trees. Floodlights illuminated the makeshift memorial.


22.02.13. Crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


 





By the speakers' platform, a giant screen broadcast the service for all to see. On the other side of the speakers' platform NZ army band in red jackets were seated. Men choristers in black cassocks hovered. Before the Memorial Service started, the giant screen:

REMEMBERING
22 FEBRUARY 2011

Two years on we remember our
community's strength and kindness
in the days following the earthquake
and take heart in our city's future.


22.02.13. Choristers, NZ Army Band, makeshift memorial, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Politicians, crowd, NZ Army Band, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. Crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. NZ Army Band, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


Mingling in the crowd were various uniforms: Rescue workers in blue overalls, St John Ambulance personnel, CERA workers in orange, Hi-Vis vests, Ryan Security personnel in olive, Hi-Vis vests, blue clad cops, NZDF soldiers, ladies seated at a little Information tent, workmen in hard hats & Hi-Vis vests.

Madras St / Hereford St: While waiting for the service to start, I wandered to the Anglican Cardboard Cathedral, a work in progress: A-frame arches up, cardboard-roll roof almost completed. A NZ army band truck was parked on Hereford St with a side mural of bandsmen.


22.02.13. NZ Army Band truck, IR bldg left, Les Mills gym right, Hereford St


22.02.13. Anglican Cardboard Cathedral construction, St Johns demolition site, Hereford St / Madras St







 

22.02.13. CTV bldg, demolition site, Madras St. 115 people died when the CTV bldg collapsed. Les Mills gym behind




Madras St: Near Les Mills gym, the steel mesh fence cordon by CTV demolition site was opened for families of the dead to pay their respects & place flowers on site. Three female CERA officials in orange, Hi-Vis vests & a female NZDF soldier in uniform stood by. 115 people died when CTV collapsed & burned.

Road sign:

       TEMPORARY
    ROAD CLOSURE

  22 FEBRUARY 2013

               FOR
MEMORIAL SERVICE

             FROM
  11 AM TO 3.30 PM
          22/02/2013

       ENQUIRIES: ...

Fence cordon, CERA condolence sign:

                        February 22nd 2013

       This site has been opened today to allow
access for the families and friends who lost their
                    loved ones two years ago.

             It will remain open until 6.30 pm.

Our hearts and thoughts are with you all today.


22.02.13. CERA condolence sign, steel mesh fence cordon, CTV bldg demolition site, Madras St

CERA usually had a steel mesh fence cordon around the CTV site to stop mindless taggers.

Madras St / Cashel St: Diagonally across the road from the CTV site was the 185 Empty Chairs memorial, remembering 185 quake dead. The memorial had stood on St Pauls Trinity Pacific Presbyterian demolition site. Above all loomed red zone, IRD ghost.


22.02.13. Orange, plastic, road cones, floral tribute. 185 Empty Chair Memorial, St Pauls Trinity Pacific Presbyterian, demolition site, Cashel St / Madras St

Latimer Sq: I recognized some grieving families in the crowd. Media pics, Royal Commission of Inquiry pics, Coroner's Inquest pics enabled recognition over the last 2 years.


22.02.13. Makeshift memorial, NZ flag, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Deaf signers in crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Politicians, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. CERA minister Brownlee left, mayor Parker, PM Key, Ngai Tahu's Solomon, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. Mayor Parker, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. Choristers, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. NZ Army Band, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq








22.02.13. Makeshift memorial, NZ flag, politicians, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


 

22.02.13. Catholic & Anglican bishops, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Media vehicles, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. St John Ambulance, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq

A claque of politicians, hangers-on & councillors, mostly wearing black, stood in front of the memorial cross & speakers' platform. Two bishops, Catholic & Anglican, wearing medieval garb, stood next to the broadcast screen by media vehicles beneath trees. Both their cathedrals had collapsed towers in quakes.


22.02.13. Crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq







22.02.13. Cleric, PM Key speech, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. Crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq








22.02.13. Crowd, NZ Army Band, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq 




A female cleric ran the service. Tribute speeches were made by mayor Parker, followed by PM Key. Others dignitaries made speeches & prayers, like the bishops, interspersed with a bible reading, The Lord's Prayer, "How great thou Art" & other hymns... NZ army band played & choristers in cassocks led the singing. SE side of Latimer Sq a group of deaf signers "sang" the hymns too.


22.02.13. Politicians, crowd, makeshift memorial, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. PM Key wreath laying, makeshift memorial, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Mayor Parker wreath laying, makeshift memorial, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. Ngai Tahu's Solomon wreath laying, makeshift memorial, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. CERA minister Brownlee, mayor Parker, PM Key, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Toyama School principal wreath laying, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq. PM Key, Ngai Tahu's Solomon, cops behind



22.02.13. Cops wreath laying, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq. PM Key, Ngai Tahu's Solomon behind



22.02.13. St John Ambulance wreath laying, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq. PM Key behind left


22.02.13. Politicians applause, St John Ambulance wreath laying, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq. Toyama School principal left, next to Labour leader Shearer. Mayor Parker, PM Key right


22.02.13. Makeshift memorial, politicians, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq




22.02.13. Choristers, NZ Army Band, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq





  

22.02.13. Politicians, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13. Politicians, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq. Labour MP Cosgrove, Labour leader Shearer left, CERA minister Brownlee, mayor Parker middle, PM Key, Ngai Tahu's Solomon right


22.02.13. Makeshift memorial, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Catholic & Anglican bishops, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Jewish couple, floral tribute, 22.02.11 Memorial Service, Latimer Sq




22.02.13. NZ Army Band conductor, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



At 12.51pm a minute's silence was held, marking the time of the February 22 Killer Quake & remembering the dead. Wreaths were laid on the makeshift memorial cross steps by politicians & dignitaries, including cops & St John, the latter 2 got applause from politicians.


22.02.13. Media photographers, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Mourners, floral tributes, makeshift memorial, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq




22.02.13. NZ Army Band, crowd, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq




22.02.13. Mourners, makeshift memorial, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq






 



22.02.13. NZ Army Band, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq




Mourners came from all over the world to the Memorial Service, as many different nationals died in the February 22 Killer Quake. Japanese principal of Toyama School laid a wreath. Some of his language students died in the CTV collapse. A Jewish couple wearing yarmulkes laid a wreath. Israeli tourists died when unreinforced masonry collapsed in the CBD.


22.02.13. Labour MP Cosgrove, Labour leader Shearer, mourners, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Labour MP Dyson, mourner, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq


22.02.13. Mayor Parker, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq

After official wreath laying, families of the dead queued & laid flowers on the makeshift memorial steps. Scruffy media photographers scurried around taking pics & videos, focussing on weepers. The creamy, makeshift memorial was cheap & nasty. Media photographers cheapened the Memorial Service too. Centre stage, in media limelight, shabby politicians hijacked mourners' grief. Real mourners, the families were in the wings, making late entrances after politicians.
 

22.02.13. Floral tributes, makeshift memorial, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq



22.02.13 Crowd dispersing, 22.02.11 quake Memorial Service, Latimer Sq










Although it was a Memorial Service for those who died in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake, PM Key boasted about the Blueprint Convention Centre NZ National govt had foisted on Christchurch's red zone CBD. NZ National govt hadn't asked citizens if they wanted a Convention Centre nor other CBD Blueprint follies. Labour MPs were snubbed, standing by the National / Council claque, not taking part in Memorial Service ceremonials. The only Labour MP who did anything for Christchurch E was Dalziel. She'd whinged at several protests in 2012. Late last year Labour's Dyson made a speech at a Democracy protest, but that was all. As for Labour leader Shearer, what did Shearer do for Christchurch over the last 2 quake years? The Memorial Service was the first & last time I saw Shearer in Christchurch.

*Trekked Wairakei Rd, Worcester St, Latimer Sq, Madras St. 147 images.

Coda:

The following week when Shearer shuffled his echelons, he dropped Dalziel from the upper & said that in future more Labour MPs would have a say in Christchurch rebuild. Shearer, just politicked for upcoming 2014 elections.  

Meanwhile Anderton, ex MP & wannabe Christchurch mayor, beaten last election by Parker, slagged off bishop Matthews, who'd complained about his legal obstructions, stopping Anglicans saving quake-weathered & pigeon polluted icons & precious artifacts from Christ Church Cathedral ghost. Despite Anderton's self-proclaimed sagacity about Christchurch "culture," Anderton didn't speak for my migrant culture. In apartheid SA I'd encountered many cultural fascists. Why should other religions, atheists & immigrants pay for Anglican ruin repairs?

Two years post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, Anderton's culture ignored E suburbs' Third World roads & squalid living conditions.

Although the steeple collapsed in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake, injuring & trapping a woman & the west facade collapsed in the 13.06.11 quake & damaged Christ Church Cathedral more & the cathedral ruin weathered & rotted for 2 years behind a NZDF cordon, citizens banned, Anderton & his Heritage hailers expected a compliant clergy, laity & tourists to Save the Cathedral. The High Court had already ruled Christ Church Cathedral should be rebuilt by the Anglican diocese in Cathedral Sq, using insurance money.

Fri 22.02.13, 10.56pm, M3.9 quake, 8km depth, 15km E of Christchurch (GeoNet). I slept through it. Leah said it jolted & shook our house.

The Press, Wed 27.02.13. While Anderton jabbered about Saving the Cathedral, CERA boss Sutton spouted another excuse, why 8 months after Council requested an Insurance Advisory Service for citizens having difficulties with CERA's residential zoning decisions & subsequent insurer delays, nothing was done by CERA: "We're at the stage now of consulting with the Community Forum and we're committed to making sure that it's a good service that actually works for people." The so-called Community Forum would be silent for many post quake months.

Two years post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, Sutton's version of earthquake RECOVERY: "consulting." Ha! Sutton was not up to earning his half million dollar p/a salary. EQC, insurers, CERA safeguards for assisting post quake residential recovery were obnoxious. Sutton could publish minutes of ALL his "consulting," not just Insurance Advisory Service, so taxpayers paying his exorbitant salary were informed of Sutton's "consulting" with slackers like EQC & insurers.

Weekend Press, March 2-3, 2013, front page headline: EQC WORKERS BULLIED. Emson, EQC's customer service boss whinged about irate clients bullying EQC staff, & EQC having to protect itself against irate clients, with razor wire fencing, heightened reception desks & beefed up security at their cosy little hubs, like Bower Ave, which dealt with New Brighton's EQC & CERA neglected clients.

Emson failed to acknowledge EQC was the problem, not clients. Emson failed to mention that months before, Wed 08.08.12, Rev Coleman, ex mayor Moore, Labour MP Dalziel, councillors Livingstone & Carter & protesters had marched in bucketing rain to Emson's cosy, Princess St office, demanding that EQC dealt with clients properly. Emson & EQC boss Simpson just stood in the rain & listened to protestors' complaints. Six months later, Emson would demonize citizens enduring EQC incompetence for over 2 years post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake.

Aug 2019. The 185 Empty Chair memorial would still be on St Pauls Trinity Pacific Presbyterian demolition site. The 185 Empty Chair memorial would later be moved to St Lukes Anglican Church demo site, Kilmore St / Manchester St.

Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.

See Cathedral left to die with  no dignity (The Press / Stuff Co). 

See Church spat on sad day for city (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Cathedral plan now detailed group says (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Dismay over delays in insurance advice (The Press / Stuff Co).

See EQC workers bullied (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Neglected Cantabs say people not buildings priority (The Press / Stuff Co).