I trekked Christchurch's Botanic Gardenns: By the rooted-out Herb Garden & Christ's College back-wall, a fence had threat-signs & perspex windows showing the New Visitors Centre construction site. An Information board pictured a glassy structure for visitors & offices for Botanic Gardens staff. The threat-signs:
STOP
Have you
signed in?
LEIGH'S CONSTRUCTION
CONSTRUCTION
Construction Site
No Public Access
Visitors report to office
STOP
Have you been
inducted to site?
09.04.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Construction site, Christchurch Botanic Gdns, Visitors Centre
Rolleston Ave: Tourism was picking up, as I saw a gaggle of camera-toting Jap tourists blocking the gate by Canterbury Museum. Tourists buses were parked on Rolleston Ave, like pre-quakes congestion.
09.04.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. WATERMARK construction site, Avon River, Cambridge Tce
09.04.13. Antigua Boat Sheds, 1882, Avon River, Cambridge Tce
Cambridge Tce: What was Council doing by Antigua Boat Sheds? I saw two diggers lifting concrete-blocks from Avon River while workmen wearing orange Hi-Vis vests loitered behind a SMF-cordon. Information boards:
WATERMARK
Te Papa Otakaro / Avon River Precinct
Watermark is the first section of the Te Papa Otakaro / Avon River Precinct to be
designed and constructed. The site will span the river's true left bank between
Antigua Boat Sheds and Montreal Street. This project will provide an opportunity for
community feedback. This will inform the design of the rest of the project. The next
section of the project will start construction from November 2013.
Stemming from over 100 000 community suggestions received via the Share an Idea
campaign, Watermark will aim to deliver the people's aspirations for a 'Green City'
and align with the design principles of the Te Papa Otakaro / Avon River Precinct:
*Promoting a healthy river
*A fully accessible environment
*An integrated cultural narrative
*Good economic potential.
The construction of "Watermark" involves:
*a slight narrowing of the river and installation of features to promote and encourage river life;
*some re-contouring to provide improved pedestrian walkways and seating areas;
*hard and soft landscaping;
*new street furniture;
*boardwalks;
*pruning of large trees to improve the canopy (no large trees will be removed).
It was part of Council's Share an Idea scheme absorbed by CCDU to improve Avon River banks: City in a Garden. Reality: City in a Swamp. That section of Avon River bank needed no improvement. There were many bits of Avon River banks downriver in eastern suburbs which needed more attention from Council & City Care & CERA.
Diggers just messed the true left bank by uprooting riverside benches & gouging track-marks into mud. Near Antigua Boat Sheds the Antigua St Footbridge needed fixing. It was SMF-cordon closed since the 22 February 2011 Quake. A long crack disfigured the south concrete- abutment. A GRAND TOUR bus was parked by the WATERMARK site. I saw no tourists!
09.04.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Quake closed, Antigua St Footbridge, Avon River, Cambridge Tce
While Council did cosmetic changes to Avon River left bank by Antigua Boat Sheds, repairs to several downriver bridges were needed. Never mind eastern suburbs' Third World roads! Example: At Beachville Rd the concrete sea-wall by Avon / Heathcote Estuary needed repairs. It was slumped & cracked & tilted its entire 500m length. (The sea-wall would be repaired by SCIRT, 2015-16).
Meanwhile Antigua Boat Sheds' advert boards touted Edwardian PUNTING ON THE AVON for tourists. CERA demolished many Edwardian & Victorian buildings in the CBD while antagonizing Heritage-hailers, but CERA still touted a punting past!
*Trekked Christchurch Botanic Gdns, Avon River bank, Cambridge Tce. 23 images.
EQC Truths Reckoning continued: Saturday 13.04.13. EQC Truths blog post's "Unsafe Electrical Wiring" reported EQC was using unregistered electricians to fix damaged housing. That left electrical wiring in housing fixed by EQC a fire-hazard!
EQC was destroying lives & values of Canterbury properties with its inept Fletcher repairs monopoly & employing unqualified, inept assessors & inept electricians!
Sunday 14.04.13. EQC Truths blog referred to The Press article "EQC staff failed to declare $25m contract conflict" regarding EQC's shonky business practices.
Monday 15.04.13. TV3 Campbell Live: EQC boss Simpson said EQC worked on sending claimants' information to claimants at the end of 2012, but EQC Truths leak delayed EQC sending the information due to the email shutdown at EQC. Simpson said EQC would release claimants' information, like EQC repairs estimates to claimants with already repaired housing, within three months. But non repaired housing estimates wouldn't be released, as information was commercially sensitive. That was laughable, as Fletcher (part NZ National government owned) monopolized repairs without tender competition from other contractors & a non-litigation agreement with EQC should repairs go wrong!
Simpson's excuse that EQC Truths blog delayed information being sent to claimants was risible, as the leak was two & a half years post 4 September 2010 Quake. Simpson had more than two years to supply EQC assessment & estimate information to claimants. Simpson was another blame-shifter, like those exposed in the recent Royal Commission of Inquiry into building collapses & the Coroner's Inquest into quake-deaths.
Wednesday 17.04.13. The Press reported a widow (husband died in 22 February 2011 Quake) who waited for procrastinating EQC or State insurer to decide whether to repair or rebuild her ruined house. Repair or rebuild?... So much for recovery from EQC & State & CERA!
Content & pics Mark JS Esslemont.
See EQC staff failed to declare $25m contract conflict (The Press / Stuff Co).
See EQC to release claim info soon (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Priority case widow still waiting (The Press / Stuff Co).
See EQCs bid to stop email becoming costly (The Press Stuff Co).
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