Christchurch Central

While in Quakechurch I took the opportunity to visit the CBD, well what is left of it. For those playing at home the central city of Christchurch has been cordon off since the 22nd February 2011 earthquake. It was very surreal wondering around the parts of the CBD that they have re-opened to the general public. I want to say that a good 80% of the buildings have been demolished so far leaving just empty lots behind. So standing on the streets I stood on almost 2 year ago, it was very hard to even remember what some of those former buildings use to look like. Some of these lots have now been turned into parking lots others are still just an empty lot slowly being reclaimed by nature. However the Art Gallery have teamed up with some artist to form a project called 'Outer Spaces'. Which pretty much make use of these empty lots and fill them with art exhibitions.

One of my favourite sites was the Monopoly Space on Manchester Street, of course they couldn't call it that because of copy right issues. They used an old digger as the game token and they even build two green house.

There is also a bull and piano installation with actual working piano's. Where if you chose to you could play to your hearts content with no complaints what so ever. It was very strange however standing in front of what was my office building before the first quake in Sept 2010. Nothing is left however to indicate that a building once stood there all that is left is a empty dirt lot with some weeds growing in it.

There is one corner site though that to a visitor might just look like another fenced off empty lot and you would be forgiven thinking that there wasn't anything special about this site. All that remains there is the hints of the foundations of a building that once stood there, but unlike most sites there us a small sign on the fence. A small sign asking you to respect this site a site that holds not only a special place in my heart but to most New Zealanders. It's the CTV Site, its was where 115 souls perished on that fateful day in February. As I was sitting there for a few minutes paying my respects it was hard to comprehend what actually happened there and how it affect so many people not only in New Zealand but around the world.

Like I said before I had mixed feeling going back to Christchurch. However wondering through the CBD by myself gave me some time for quiet reflection. Which I thought was fitting as after all the whole CBD is really a reminder of what we have lost. But more important I believe it now holds the possibilities and opportunities Christchurch and New Zealand has for the future.