If it's rugby season, which is...
by stoner
If it's rugby season, which is generally March - October, you absolutely must go to a rugby game and see the local boys (Canterbury Crusaders for Super 12 competition) play at Jade Stadium...check out all the one eyed red and black Cantabrian fans!! Great atmosphere, great times. It's just a beautiful place, and definitely lives up to it's nickname as the Garden City. Lots and lots of gardens, and the Botanical Gardens which is part of Hagley Park in the centre of town or wonderful in all seasons! The thing I miss most though is being an 1 hour and a half from the mountains, and being right next to the sea!!
Good Service for Disabled in the Botanic Garden
by Kakapo2
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Just the other day I spotted a good service in the Botanic Garden. In front of the Information Centre (which is near the carpark, from Armagh Street & Rolleston Avenue, not near the main entrance on Rolleston Ave, opposite the Arts Centre) there are quite a lot of those wheelchair-like electric scooters.
You can borrow them for free, just phone 941 8888.
People use them a lot, sometimes they are all rolling around in the Gardens. So it makes sense to book one beforehand if you know that you would like to visit the Gardens on a Sunday or other peak times. Sometimes people can still walk a bit but not for hours. So this service gives them the possibility to enjoy this wonderful part of the city.
City Council Pools & Gyms
by fishandchips
There are three main Christchurch City Council sport complexs - those being QE2, Centennial and Pioneer.
QE2 is in New Brighton and is the biggest of the complexs including a good gym and excellent swimming facility. Being the site of the 1974 Commonwealth Games it has many other facilities including a running track.
Centennial is located in the centre of Christchurch on Armagh St and has a 25 metre pool plus a small gym. It's a handy place to use if you are staying in the middle of Christchurch.
Pioneer is my local place and it has a 25 metre lane pool, wave pool, gym, squash courts and a nice cafe for an after workout coffee. Pioneer also runs many yoga & pilates etc classes.
Opening hours vary at each place with most being open until 9pm in Summer for pool use and up to 7pm for the gyms.
Check out the CCC Leisure Centre Website for full info on prices and opening times. If you haven't brought it with you then you can hire everything you need for swimming. Wear what you feel most comfortable in the gym - there is very little lycra in these places so a very relaxed atmosphere.
Harry Ell's Track
by fishandchips
This track is an easy walk going from the Sign of the Takahe to the Sign of the Kiwi some 3.2 km's further up the hill. There is plenty of car parking at either end so you can choose if you want the uphill portion first or last. If you are not travelling by car you can take the number 10 bus up to the Sign of the Takahe (which is this buses last stop before changing direction) for $2.50.
At the Sign of the Kiwi there is an okay tea rooms selling items such as ice creams & camera film plus there are toilets and drinking fountain so you don't really need to pack food or water. If you are feeling more adventurous you can cross the road and walk on eof the tracks around 'Sugarloaf' which has the main Television transmission centre and aerial. There are also walks back through Victoria park, around the Crater Rim and down Bowenvale Valley though if you have parked your car somewhere you will probably think twice about the last two tracks.
The below website has more info including a good map of the track and more info on the facilities.
City Shuttle - free bus
by Kate-Me
For a bit of an introductory tour of Christchurch, you can take the free bus which goes around a few streets of the city centre, with about 8 or so stops, including Cathedral Square.
It's new, comfortable, and a good way to get your bearings.
Just look for the specially marked bus stops (below) to catch it.
The buses are bright yellow, so easy to distinguish from the normal buses, which are red.
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Bronze heroes in front of the Arts Centre.
View from the top
Having a look at the fish of Southern Encounter.
Stained glass windows (2)
