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The search is on for Christchurch’s best looking gardens. Judging will begin shortly for the Community Pride Garden Awards – the annual awards that recognise those who contribute to Christchurch’s image as the Garden City by beautifying their streets and gardens. The awards were established 31 years ago by Christchurch City Council and this year…
Pilot aims to address odour issue in Washdyke We are rolling out a pilot project throughout February to gather better odour information and data in the Washdyke and northern Timaru area. The aim is to reduce odour reaching beyond business boundaries and the impact this can have on residents. Smelt it? Report it From 1…
Buskers are back on the city beat, along with a free symphony in Victoria Square, adventurous theatre in the Botanic Gardens and plenty of sport. Bread & Circus – Backyard Buskers Festival The Bread & Circus – Backyard Buskers Festival pitches up in Christchurch today, putting the spotlight on street performers until the end of…
People who lost their job because of COVID-19 are being offered a chance to kick-start their new business idea as part of an innovative new Christchurch programme. The programme, Start Me Up, will guide potential business owners or those interested in learning about the start-up process, and who are currently receiving a benefit, through the…
“It’s a huge network of support and a great example of Ōtautahi’s flourishing and connected innovation ecosystem in action. Plus, the support and networks the Accelerator finalists will finish with is tremendous,” said Warren. Participants will be supported by a network of mentors and business experts Diane McDermott, Ministry of Social Development’s Regional Commissioner for…
Park-loving young filmmakers can share their favourite outdoor space with a wider audience by creating a 60-second video to celebrate Parks Week. Organised by the Christchurch City Council, the video competition is open to budding directors aged from seven to 12, with the winning videos uploaded to the Council website during Parks Week in early…
Anthony Harper Summer Theatre returns to the Botanic Gardens this week with a laugh-out loud adaptation of the classic 19th century travel adventure Around the World in 80 Days. Produced by special arrangement with Plays for Young Audiences, Around the World in 80 Days tells the tale of Englishman Phileas Fogg and his servant Passepartout’s…
Work to restore the health of a Christchurch stream that once teemed with freshwater fish and acted as an important food gathering area for Māori has received a funding boost. The Government has given Christchurch City Council a grant of almost $1.5 million through its Freshwater Improvement Fund to help fund restoration work on Cashmere…
January update: Kaikōura Zone Delivery Manager We blinked and it was Christmas, another blink and now we’re in a new year! I hope you all had a safe and happy time over the holiday period whether at home, work or away. Pollution polls Our office was closed over Christmas and New Year, with Rach and…
From today, the use of hoses, sprinklers and garden irrigation systems is permitted only on alternate days. No water can be used outdoors on any day between 3pm and 9pm. Several consecutive days of hot weather are forecast for the city, with little rain predicted in the long-term forecast. This is expected to push up…
A proposed change to the Christchurch District Plan to boost the protection of native trees and plants on coastal farmland is open for public feedback. Christchurch City Council is contacting potentially affected coastal property owners directly, outlining the need to address issues in applying rules regarding the clearance of indigenous vegetation in existing pasture. Council…
A mushroom-themed education, play and foraging area will sprout in the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor Regeneration Area in the coming months. The Mushroom Room will feature at least six different native and exotic species of edible mushrooms for foragers, up to five large art installations by local artists, four engaging nature play pieces, and interactive…
A large number of willows by the popular dog park at The Groynes are going to be trimmed or removed, starting next week. Environment Canterbury staff, along with a contractor, will be cutting back the trees on an 800-metre section of Ōtukaikino Creek, between The Groynes and Dickeys Road. The trees, which border the pedestrian…
A symphonic fairy-tale featuring a brave boy and his band of animal companions kicks off the free Symphony in the City concerts in Victoria Square. The audience also will have the opportunity to enjoy a hands-on experience by trying a variety of musical instruments between the free concerts on Saturday, 16 January. The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra…
Canterbury Museum is going high-tech with its latest treasure hunt. Over the summer visitors to the museum can collect virtual taonga (treasures) from the Museum’s 150th birthday exhibition, House of Treasures: Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho in a treasure hunt accessed through a web-based app on a smartphone. Users are challenged to find 16 taonga displayed…
Recycling farm plastics in Kaikōura Burning or burying farm plastics can cause ongoing issues for the environment, human health, and future generations of farmers. We understand it can be difficult to know what to do with farm plastics, so this information is to help you know how you can do the right thing by recycling…
Early Chinese laundries feature in a new gallery of story panels that captures the history of Victoria Street. Dotted along the busy thoroughfare to the central city, the panels share stories from the past, providing a narrative on significant buildings and landmark structures. Christchurch City Council Transport Planning and Delivery Manager Lynette Ellis says that much of the history…
Unlike most ride-on lawn mowers which have a petrol engine and tend to be noisy, the Mean Green is powered by electric battery, making it environmentally-friendly and quiet. “It’s pretty cool. It’s nice and quiet and easy to use,’’ says Hagley Park manager Rupert Bool, who was among the first to have a go on…
Christchurch City Council is stopping cheques as a payment option. Residents will no longer be able to make cheque payments from 30 April 2021, due to the three major New Zealand banks phasing them out in May, June and July of this year. Acting Finance and Commercial General Manager Diane Brandish says discontinuing cheques shows…
A school climate action campus and a locally developed app that allows people to rent, lend or borrow household items are among those to benefit from the first round of Sustainability Fund grants. The Sustainability Fund was set up by Christchurch City Council in August 2020 to support the Council’s climate change objectives and targets….
Cool off in the pool, tackle a tough run, catch the cricket under lights, explore the city or simply sit back and soak up the sounds. Party at the pool in Lyttelton Chill out at the summer pool party at the Norman Kirk Memorial Pool in Lyttelton on Sunday from noon to 5pm. Try out…
New direct bus services from the Waimakariri District to central Christchurch start on Monday 11 January, with free travel for the first two weeks. The new 91 Rangiora – City Direct and 92 Kaiapoi – to City Direct bus services are supported by Park & Ride facilities in both Kaiapoi and Rangiora. Environment Canterbury transport portfolio lead Councillor Phil Clearwater says…
From our Chair: Urban Water Jenny Hughey, Chair, Environment Canterbury As we look 2021 in the eye, it’s hard to imagine how it might pan out, given last year’s experiences. Who, at this time last year, would have predicted 2020 to unfold the way it did? It is quite natural for us to look ahead…
Measuring the frozen ocean from the sky A Kiwi research team has, for the first time ever, used a fixed wing aircraft to measure the thickness of a huge area of sea ice in Antarctica. The ice thickness was measured using a Basler BT-67 (a modified DC-3) plane towing a piece of equipment called an…
Getting your kids off screen and on board University of Canterbury Associate Professors Kathryn MacCallum & Cheryl Brown, Co-Directors of Te Puna Rangahau i-Ako | Digital Education Futures Lab discuss the pros and cons of our children’s increasing screen time, and how to deal with it this summer. University of Canterbury Associate Professor Cheryl Brown…
Cutbacks to Classics a Retrograde Step Following the Ministry of Education’s recent decision to remove Classics from NCEA Level 1, UC Associate Professor Patrick O’Sullivan discusses why this change will take away an opportunity for students to be challenged while learning valuable interdisciplinary skills, which can help produce the kind of global citizens the world…
Call out for Bella or Charlie at a Christchurch dog park and you could find yourself inundated by pooches. There are 558 dogs called Bella registered in Christchurch, making it the most popular dog name in the city. There are 437 dogs registered as Charlie, making it the second most popular canine name. Also in…
Residents in Halswell, Wigram, Hornby, Sockburn and Templeton are being asked to keep conserving water to ease pressure on the local water supply network while work is done at the Denton Pump Station. “We thank residents for their patience while we work to understand the full extent of the issue at Denton Pump Station,” says…
Kiwiana is past its use-by date. Is it time to re-imagine our symbols of national identity? Kiwiana can offer profits and comforting nostalgia, but Kate Pickles explains that a closer examination reveals that this set of symbols representing colonial settler narratives is no longer fit for purpose in the 2020s. Definitions of Kiwiana vary and…
How quickly can the Covid-19 vaccine make travel possible? Will travel ever look the same again? Professor Colin Michael Hall and colleagues from University of Oulu and Wakayama University provide expert insight in article on The Conversation. The recently-announced trans-Tasman bubble between Australia and New Zealand is one of the few options for international travel…