Leisure venues and open space at the heart of a new Christchurch

A convention centre, sports stadium and performing arts complex are among the landmark projects planned for a new-look Christchurch.

The Recovery Plan for New Zealand's oldest city, extensively damaged by a magnitude-6.1 earthquake 18 months ago, also includes extensive green space in and around a city centre divided into precincts for sport, health, arts and entertainment, retail, and the justice and emergency sectors.

Under the plan, the city would be bordered with parkland and the overall design would give more emphasis to the winding Avon River. An earthquake memorial would be given prominence, as would a Maori cultural centre.

The central city square would be divided into a number of smaller public gathering spots.

The plan identifies sites for major infrastructure 'anchor projects' including a prominent library and a convention centre with the capacity to hold 2,000 people that would overlook the river.

There would also be a covered sports stadium seating up to 35,000 people built in the city's south-east and an indoor aquatic and recreation centre built in the south-west.

Released yesterday (Tuesday 30th July) by New Zealands Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee, the Minister called the Recovery Plan "a blueprint for a smaller, greener central city that will set Christchurch apart from any other urban centre."

Minister Brownlee says after reviewing the thousands of ideas offered through Christchurch City Councils award winning Share An Idea consultation process, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA)'s Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) was able to take this work and tailor the new city design to meet the practical needs and creative ideas of the community.

Minister Brownlee explained "I asked the CCDU team to further develop the councils draft plan and deliver a blueprint that was consistent with the forward-thinking, bold and exciting Share an Idea consensus.

"I am very pleased to endorse the blueprint CCDU have created and I believe this is the start of a hugely exciting future for our city."

Christchurch Mayor, Bob Parker endorsed the plan, adding that the new city "will be safe, modern, green and will leave a legacy that makes Christchurch one of the best places in the world to live and work for many generations to come."

Nick Bryant, a spokesman for earthquake recovery minister Gerry Brownlee, said that funding will come from a variety of sources, including local councils, private investors, insurance payouts and from the central government, which has so far set aside NZ$5.5 billion for the recovery efforts.

Fairfax media reported that Court Theatre Chief Executive Philip Aldridge was pleased with the importance the plan had placed on arts in the future of Christchurch, quoting "the CCDU blueprint endorses the key role The Court and other arts organisations will play in reinvigorating the city. Cities need life, cities need people, cities need energy and creativity and the arts can offer this.

"The re-establishment of performance venues will also see the reinstatement of restaurants and bars which is greatly to be welcomed."

Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism are hoping the new plan will put Christchurch back on track to "again become one of the greatest cities in Australasia".

Chief Executive Tim Hunter said the blueprint will make Christchurch a "place everyone will want to come and stay."

Hunter added "it keeps the best of the Garden City's urban layout our forefathers created, enhancing the 'city in a garden' image by adding more parks and by shrinking the size of the CBD into a more compact, people-friendly space.

"Everything is going to be very accessible which will give us a real marketing edge when it comes to attracting national and international conferences to the city. Few other cities in the world would have as many top-class facilities within such a small geographical a http://cera.govt.nz/

Image shows Christchurch's temporary AMI Stadium.

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