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An all-electric, self-flying air taxi that rises like a helicopter and flies like a plane will be on display at Tūranga this weekend. Wisk’s air taxi will be on public display in New Zealand for the first time at Take Charge Christchurch. New Zealand’s first battery electric aircraft, operated by ElectricAir, will also be on…
Discover some of Christchurch’s best spaces to explore, learn and be entertained these holidays. A day at the playground Make the most of a fine day and head to one of the city’s many playgrounds. The Margaret Mahy Playground in the central city is packed with fun things to try or you can enjoy an…
Residents who pay for Christchurch City Council services by cheque will need to find other ways of paying from the end of this month. The Council will not be accepting cheque payments from 30 April 2021 because the three major New Zealand banks are phasing out cheques in May and June of this year. The…
Gail Carson literally has a “feel” for creating a valuable resource from discarded ‘junk’. For more than 20 years, Gail has picked over the items on offer at non-profit recycling space Creative Junk to put together tactile books for blind and low-vision children. She says that the craft items “are not junk at all”, describing…
The clock is ticking for those wanting to give feedback on Christchurch City Council’s plans for investing in the city and keeping services running over the coming years. The period for public submissions on the Draft 2021–31 Long Term Plan ends at midnight on Sunday 18 April. The plan sets the direction for the next…
Researchers win PM’s Science Prize for protecting NZ from Covid-19 A national research team, including several University of Canterbury (UC) researchers, has won the Prime Minister’s Science Prize 2020 for their mathematical simulation of Covid-19 infection modelling and their communication work. A national research team, including several University of Canterbury researchers, has won the Prime…
Familiar fronds will be rearranged in a new Anzac setting, complementing a nearby poppies artwork. Recently repurposed to honour the Anzac story, the new-look fronds at the Anzac Drive-New Brighton Road intersection will align with the Poppies over Gallipoli sculpture on the corner of Anzac Drive and Travis Road. The Anzac Fronds – originally installed…
Unfolding the mystery of the first kiwi specimen A new article on The Conversation from Adjunct Professor Paul Schofield and UC Fellow Vanesa De Pietri sheds light on the 200 year old mystery surrounding where the first kiwi specimen was collected, and the repercussions this could have for kiwi conservation. An illustration by Elizabeth Nodder,…
Christchurch City Council’s Regulatory Compliance Unit has completed its investigation into an incident involving Councillors Phil Mauger and James Daniels last July when a trench was dug without authorisation on land adjacent to Pages Road. The works were carried out on Crown-owned land managed by the Council without Resource Consent. The Council’s compliance unit began…
Local politician graduates with a PhD Community Board Member Sunita Gautam will be donning a cap and gown this week as she graduates with a PhD from the University of Canterbury (UC). On Wednesday 14 April Gautam will graduate with a PhD that focuses on self-employment as a strategy for Indian immigrants’ settlement in New…
Collaboration results in cultural artwork for the community The new stormwater culvert aims to filter contaminants from stormwater before it enters Lyell Creek. A collaborative project between councils, community, and local Kaikōura businesses has resulted in artwork showcasing one of the towns forgotten reserves. The Lower Lyell / Waikōau West End Reserve has been developed…
From robotic motion to measuring climbing performance – showcasing biomechanics to young people Her first encounter with biomechanics was training humanoid robots to perform human-like motion – and since then Nina Pernus hasn’t looked back. The University of Canterbury (UC) Biomechanics in Sports Coaching teaching assistant, and Bioengineering PhD student, now wants to show young…
Wai We Care: Join your local water zone committee Now is the time to join your local water zone committee and make a contribution towards the future of Canterbury’s precious water resource. Nine of Canterbury’s 10 water zone committees are looking for new community members, with applications opening 12 April and closing on 10 May….
Mount Lawry beech forest to be protected The Waimakariri Water Zone Committee is supporting biodiversity funding of $50,000 for 150 hectares of remnant beech forest, wetlands and manuka scrub on Mount Lawry Station in the Canterbury foothills. Waimakariri District Council, Environment Canterbury and the QEII Trust are working together with the landowner to support the…
A decade on from the earthquakes, St Albans residents have a permanent new community centre to call their own. The striking new Kohinga St Albans Community Centre was officially opened at the weekend – the first permanent facility on its Colombo Street site for a decade. Mayor Lianne Dalziel opened the new $2.7 million community…
A striking white ngutu – or ceremonial entranceway – will greet visitors at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre. Called Te Aika, which means ‘the home people’ (te aika is a Ngāi Tahu version of te ahi kā: ‘the home fires burning’), the aluminium artwork recognises the mana of local hapu, Ngāi Tūāhuriri. Inspired by the…
A condolence book is being set up at Tūranga and the flag above the Civic Offices is flying at half-mast as Christchurch joins the nation in mourning the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, His Royal Highness Prince Philip. “The Duke of Edinburgh has been a pillar of strength for the Queen throughout her long…
Our Stories is a community storytelling project that connects communities through storytelling. School children interview people who grew up in their community. The stories are recorded and then edited and mapped to places. The Our Stories app was launched in 2018 with a collection of Lyttelton-based stories. Project director Kris Herbert says the collaboration with…
A weekend for foodies, runners, or art and music lovers, along with a pool party for dogs and a fun day for families – you will be spoiled for choice. Christchurch Food Show Sample tasy treats and see top chefs in action at The Christchurch Food Show this weekend. Head to the Street Food Alley,…
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel has promised to meet with organisers of today’s Schools Strike 4 Climate NZ protest so they can discuss in depth their demands for more climate action. Several hundred students took to the streets of central Christchurch early Friday afternoon to demand real, meaningful climate action. Similar protests were staged in other…
First Masters of Criminal Justice graduate from UC For the first time ever, six students will cross the Christchurch Town Hall stage to receive a Master of Criminal Justice degree at the University of Canterbury (UC) Law School graduation ceremony, on Wednesday. Danielle Moore with her grandmother when she graduated with her Bachelor of Criminal…
Changing young lives the goal for graduate of new degree A drive to help troubled young people get their lives back on track lies behind Alex Wilson’s decision to study criminal justice at the University of Canterbury (UC). Alex Wilson is one of the first six people to graduate with a Master of Criminal Justice…
A determined post-grad student: if you can’t interview them, join them Determined is the word that comes to mind listening to the story of Said Zohairy who will graduate next week with a Doctor of Education from the University of Canterbury’s (UC) College of Education, Health and Human Development. From right – Said Zohairy, Naglaa…
Benefits for premature babies from PhD graduate’s research A Christchurch study showing clear differences between the lungs of premature boy and girl babies has helped Kyeong Tae Kim achieve his PhD and could also lead to improvements in the treatment of infants born early. Kyeong Tae Kim will graduate with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering…
Engineering a brighter future Quinlan Meyerink will officially become a University of Canterbury graduate next week. His UC Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Hons) degree began paying off long before graduation. In 2020, Quinlan worked at Tait Communications for three months as a summer intern. The internship came about after working alongside other final-year…
Players may be busy keeping in touch with Barry Clausen when the 74-year-old takes to the field at the Bunnings National Touch Championship in Christchurch this month. Mr Clausen aims to run onto the turf as part of the over-55s Canterbury men’s side when Ngā Puna Wai hosts the National Championship for the first time…
Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community Board members want to correct the historical misspelling of Kaputone Creek, seeking an official name change to Kā Pūtahi. Following a Community Board request, Christchurch City Council staff are preparing a proposal for the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa to approve a return to the original Māori spelling, Kā…
An ancient turtle fossil discovered in a church pillar in Christchurch may have lived up to 35 million years ago. Christchurch sculptor Paul Deans found the fossil embedded in the limestone core of a pillar from the demolished Oxford Terrace Baptist Church, erected between 1881 and 1882. Several sections of the extracted cores given to…
From our Chair: Engaging with Canterbury’s youth The young people of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Jenny Hughey, Chair, Environment Canterbury Some in fact are already moving and shaking, guiding their peers to be community-minded, and steering thinking and actions along paths that will protect and renew our environment and help mitigate climate change….
Instant fines for dumping rubbish in regional parks People caught dumping rubbish in Canterbury’s regional parks may now face an instant $750 fine. Our regional park rangers are now warranted under the Resource Management Act (RMA) to issue fines to anyone found dumping rubbish in the parks. Dumping of rubbish is costing ratepayers This comes…