City Planning from Hell Goes on: Tree Vandalism
by Kakapo2
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The horror goes on. Not that they demolish the well-loved overbridges of City Mall and build a service lane right through the pedestrian zone. Remarkably on Arbor Day workers cut six mature trees in Cashel Mall, in front of the Ballantynes warehouse. I could not believe my eyes when I saw this legally allowed act of vandalism. The City Council only apoligised for the bad choice of day, not for cutting down the trees.
Somebody suggested to cut down the trees of Hagley Park, so we get an unobstructed view through the park to Riccarton. It would be laughable, were it not so, so sad.
You should have seen the lots of people enjoying to sit on the seats under the trees in their lunch breaks, enjoying the heat of summer days in the shade of the canopies. Now they are gone because we obviously need this traffic lane to make the inner city more attractive – for whom? And we can admire the concrete facades of the surrounding buildings. And we will certainly enjoy the pedestrian zone more when we cannot just stroll around any longer but look out for cars and risk being hit by a car. What act of stupidity!
Update 8 Feb 2010
In the meantime the service lane has become a tramway line. The inner city circle is going to be extended and should be in use by the start of the Rugby World Cup in late 2011. Without trees you can now look through the empty airsprace down to the Bridge of Remembrance. The funny thing is, of course, that consciously many people who know, and consciously tourists who don't know avoid walking on those tramway tracks that still lead to nowhere ;-) Just walk down to the bridge and you will see.
Photo 2 shows one of the felled trees after the act of vandalism in City Mall.
Golfing trips
by yankeedoodle74
I'd heard about the great golf courses in and around Christchurch and was given the number of a company who would provide the transport, equipment and a discount on the green fees. A very polite guy collected my wife and I from our city central hotel in a modern and spacious people mover and took us to the course that suited us, in this case it was Templeton. We had a great days golf at a very reasonable cost and on our next visit will use this company for a round at Clearwater. The equipment was first class and I was astounded that everything ran so smoothly, I don't think we were held up on the course at any stage! Although the skyline was overcast we still got rather burnt so sun screen is a must. We were also worried that our dress was "under par"! This wasn't the case though, golfing shoes were provided and the course dress code is far more relaxed than overseas courses (within reason)
Christchurch's other cathedral
by TheWanderingCamel
Not many visitors make the pilgrimage to Christchurch's magnificent Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (usually referred to as Christchurch Basilica) on Barbadoes Street. Whilst the Anglican cathedral in the centre of the city is thronged with visitors at all times, the chances are you may well have this place all to yourself.... and that's a shame because it really is a splendid building, both inside and out.
From very humble beginnings with a simple wooden chapel built for the arrival of the first Marist priests in 1860, followed by a large church on the same site, and finally the great cathedral we see today - begun in 1901 and completed in 1905 - just one year after the Anglican cathedral was finally declared finished. The two cathedrals could not have a more different appearance however. Christchurch was built in Victorian Gothic Revival style and is very English-looking. The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament would not look out of place sitting on an Italian piazza. Neo-Classical in style, the cathedral's cool and spacious interior is wonderfully elegant and deceptively simple with lovely arches and double-storied colonnades. It is regarded as one of the finest examples of church architecture in all Australasia.
As well as the fine original decoration and beautiful mosaic floor, recent additions include works by some of New Zealand's finest modern artists and their stained glass, tapestries and a new set of Stations of the Cross among other things have added much to the fabric of the church.
The Cathedral is on Barbadoes Street between Ferry Road and Moorhouse Avenue. It's a good 15 minute's walk from the city centre. Alternatively, the free shuttle bus goes within 1 block - get off at either of the stops on Madras Street.
The biggest one, great on rainy Days and for Shoes
by Kakapo2 about Westfield Riccarton
This is Christchurch’s and – nearly logical – the South Island’s biggest shopping mall. You have a choice of 150 shops, and especially if you are looking for shoes this is the place to go. Sometimes I have the impression every second shop is for shoes – and I still do not find what I want LOL There are also some nice clothes and homeware stores, and all the other kinds of shops you find in malls in other countries.
If you are used to Westfield Riccarton the other big malls (The Palms, Eastgate, Northlands) get a little disappointing by the time...
The integrated supermarket is Pak’n’Save, and there is also a K-Mart for bargains of all kinds. The latter could be interesting for tourists as they have a large choice of tents and all kinds of camping gear. You also find hairdressers, a big food court, a New Zealand Natural ice-cream stall, quite a lot of nice cafés of the main chains (Robert Harris, Muffin Break, Coffee Culture, McCafé etc.), and a Hoyts cinema complex.
Although I prefer shopping in the inner city streets (as long as the city planners do not destroy them LOL) such malls are great on a rainy day and if you want to do a lot of things in as little time as possible. And parking is free. And finally, many bus lines pass at Westfield Riccarton, and it is only 10 minutes from the city centre (5 min by car).
Shopping hours
Mon – Wed 9am – 6pm
Thu & Fri 9am – 9pm
Sat 9am – 6pm
Sun 10am – 6pm
Directions:
The mall is located west of Hagley Park, so drive around the park and turn into Riccarton Road where Riccarton is indicated. The mall is on the left side of the street.
By bus from the Bus Exchange, platform B: #5 Hornby, 19 Burnside, 21 Ilam, 81 Lincoln, 83 Hei Hei, 84 Russley. – Platform C: 3 Avonhead
The Orbiter (green bus, see extra tip) makes a loop tour past the major shopping malls but does not go to the Bus Exchange.
The Shuttle to Christchurch's Best Attractions
by Kakapo2
This really is a great way to get to the attractions on the outskirts of Christchurch if you do not have a car.
Though, after a new service is now passing at the Willowbank (#11 line extended to Northwood), all attractions the shuttle services can be reached by the public transport system which is much cheaper and there are a lot more buses.
The Black Bus, as this shuttle is called, departs every one and half hours only, once even the gap is two hours. The new buses are very attractive, with huge little blue penguins sitting on the roof - a great advertisement for the Antarctic Centre.
The round round-trip to the three stops at the Antarctic Centre, the Willowbank and the Gondola costs NZ$ 15 per person.
The city stop is at the corner of Cathedral Square and Worcester Street, just across the street from the tramway stop.
City departues towards the Antarctic Centre and the Willowbank from 26 Dec to 20 April start at 9am and end at 5.45pm (to the Gondola). From 21 April to 25 Dec the last departure is at 4.30pm.
The transport fare is $5 to one attraction, $10 to two and $15 to all three attractions.
They also offer packages including the entry fees (which includes a tramway and Hägglund ride at the Antarctic Centre) at $100, and the $140 option includes a Wildlife Cruise at Lyttelton Harbour.
If you want to visit the Willowbank AND Orana Park (which is not on the shuttle route at all) it would be worth considering to hire a car for a day or two, especially if you do not travel alone and the costs add up.
An economical alternative is the Sunshine Shuttle (vans, no big buses) which also starts opposite the Visitor Centre on Cathedral Square. They pick up and drop off on request. Phone (03) 379 1699.
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View to the mountains from Springfield.
Suffrage Sculpture beside the Avon River
This beautiful villa is home of Hinton's.
A little island in the Avon river.
