Christchurch on Avon

Big chunks of the central business district of Christchurch were destroyed by the earthquakes. The city council is consulting about rebuilding the city. The following paragraphs are from the submission that I made. I do not like the idea of elected councils deciding the shape of a city, because a real city is created by the decisions of the millions of people who live in it. The benefit of my proposal is that it could be brought about by the owners of buildings in Oxford Terrace, if only the council would take cars out of one of the nicest spots in the city.

The River
The Avon River makes Christchurch special. Many cities are built on a large river, but Christchurch is unique in having a lovely spring-fed river flowing through the heart of the city. Christchurch should be rebuilt around the river.

We should stop seeing the river as dividing the city, and start seeing it as the feature that links the central city together. Motor vehicles should be taken out of Oxford Terrace from the Hospital to Madras Street, so it could be turned into a pedestrian way which links the city together around the river.

The best spots on the river are the south banks where the river runs east to west, as they combine a river view with a sunny aspect. Mona Vale is an example. It is a lovely sunny spot with great views of the river.

The two best sites on the south bank in the central city are totally wasted. Oxford Terrace between the Hospital and Tiffanies and Oxford terrace carries two lanes of motor traffic. Oxford Terrace between Colombo and Manchester has angle parking. These are both lovely sunny spots with great views of the river. These two treasures should be taken back for the people of Christchurch when the city is rebuilt.

Retail Precinct
The people of Christchurch deserted the central city shops more than a decade ago. Earthquake recovery plans will not bring them back, so fewer shops will be needed in the central city. They should be brought together in one place, rather than being spread across the ruined city.

Cashel Mall is the wrong place for the main shopping precinct. It runs east to west and has tall buildings on the north side, so it gets dark and cold in winter. No one wants to go there.
The shape of the city should not be driven by a desire to restore Ballentynes, as it represents the past, and not the future of retailing. Ballentynes should probably be moved out to Merivale where it belongs.

If Oxford Terrace becomes a real Terrace Walkway, the central city shopping precinct should be re-established on Oxford Terrace between the Hospital and the Bridge of Remembrance. This part of Oxford Terrace has a lovely outlook over the river that is wasted as a one-way street. It is sheltered from the southerly rain and has a northerly aspect that would let the sun in all year round.

The ground floors of all the buildings on this part of Oxford Terrace could be converted into retail premises. With motor vehicles gone, there would be plenty of room for some of these shops to flow out onto to the street while still leaving plenty of room for a pedestrian walkway and stalls and outdoor cafes. Architects could have a ball designing something that fits the environment.

• Tuam Street could provide the goods entrance for the shopping complex, so there would be no need for vehicles to go onto the front of the shopping precinct on Oxford Terrace.

• If necessary, car parking buildings could be built on the south side of Tuam St to support the Shopping Precinct.

• A low height restriction could be put on buildings on the north side of the river to prevent them from shutting the sun out of the river and Oxford Terrace.

• Traffic from Hagley and Riccarton Ave should be channelled into Tuam Street and St Asaph to keep it away from the River.

• The one-way traffic should be removed from Durham Street to prevent it from acting as a barrier to pedestrian movement around Oxford Terrace.

• Manchester St has lost its way as the best buildings in it have collapsed. It could be turned into a one-way street going south in place of Durham.

• If Montreal Street is still needed for north/south traffic, it should be put into a tunnel under the shopping precinct and the river, so it does not divide the shopping precinct.

Dining and Entertainment Precinct
The existing “Strip” could continue to operate as the dining and entertainment precinct that flows off the end of the shopping precinct.

Tourist Precinct
Oxford Terrace between Colombo and Manchester Streets is another wasted area with a northerly aspect and view over the river. This could be rebuilt as a tourism precinct. The tourism shops currently in Colombo Street could be brought into this area and interspersed with cafes and restaurants targeted at tourists. Some new tourist hotels might be built in this area, but back from Oxford Terrace walk way. The PWC building has lost tenants so it might need to be converted into a tourist hotel looking out on the tourist precinct.

Shape of the City
The old city was shaped by a restrictive grid designed in England. It did not fit the natural landscape and constrains the natural flow of the city. An Oxford Terrace walkway could join together the hospital, a new shopping precinct, the central police station, CCC building, the entertainment precinct, the library, the Art Gallery, the courthouse, the Town Hall, a new tourism precinct and several large hotels. It would also link with Worcester Boulevard, which joins Cathedral square with the Art Centre. Together they link the city creating natural flows from North to South and East to West.

Free hop-on hop-off buses could travel both ways round Cambridge Terrace from the Hospital to Madras St, stopping at each bridge over the river to give easy access to each of the precincts. Some might do a loop down Worcester Boulevard and back down Rolleston Avenue to get back onto Cambridge Terrace. This bus service would give people easy movement without cluttering the Oxford Terrace Walkway with vehicles. Goods services would enter the precincts through the back off Tuam and Amargh Streets, while people would gain access through the free bus service and taxis on Cambridge Terrace.