QE2 Park Closed Indefinitely

Personal note: Prior to our midwinter trip to Fiji maybe 4 years ago, Alister and I went to this pool every Sunday for a 'swim' so that I could feel confident in the water.  It worked, and I was able to snorkel comfortably in Fiji.

 

Christchurch's QE2 sports complex shut indefinitely

3:02 PM Thursday Mar 3, 2011

 

Christchurch's Queen Elizabeth 2 Park recreation and sport centre has been closed indefinitely.

Christchurch City Council recreation and sports manager John Filsell told a meeting with sports codes representatives and owners of businesses located in the complex today that infrastructure had been badly

damaged by last week's devastating earthquake.

"The main building of QE2 is under lockdown which means there is no access to anyone for any purpose," Mr Filsell said.

He added that all sports facilities across the city were also closed.

No date had been set for engineering assessment of the damage to the complex, some of which might be structural.

Queen Elizabeth 2 Park's multi-use sports facility was built in 1973 to host the 1974 Commonwealth Games.

Among its facilities are a 25-metre training pool, a 50m international pool, a leisure pool, a teaching pool, an international standard diving pool, a fitness centre, indoor hydroslides, an indoor stadium, an outdoor international stadium with a 15,000 seating capacity with the capacity to host athletics, soccer concerts and events.

It contains a running track, as well as a public swimming and diving pool. There is also a cricket ground, behind the main complex, called The Village Green, which is the home to the Canterbury first class men's and women's teams.

- NZPA

High Numbers Take Up Red Cross Grant

High numbers taking up Red Cross earthquake grants

By Hayden Donnell

2:53 PM Thursday Mar 3, 2011

 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10709934

 

High numbers of grieving or homeless Christchurch residents have rushed to take up an offer of help from the Red Cross.

The aid organisation made two cash grants from its 2011 Earthquake Appeal fund available to those hit hardest by last week's 6.3 magnitude earthquake at midday today.

Those who lost a close family member in the earthquake are able to claim a $10,000 bereavement grant.

Couples and families forced out their home or living without essential services such as power and water can claim a $1000 emergency and hardship grant. That is reduced to $500 for a single person.

A Red Cross spokeswoman said the number of people who accessed the grants in the first hours they were on offer had not yet been counted.

But the demand for the grant had been high, with significant numbers accessing the organisation's website to find online application forms, she said.

Earthquake appeal commission chair Sir John Hansen promised the applications would be approved in "days, not weeks or months".

All the funds donated to the appeal would be used to help earthquake victims, with no cash deducted for administration or staff costs, he said.

"The grants will be distributed fairly, transparently and in a timely manner. Cash is going to be vital in helping people rebuild their homes and lives. It will enable them to buy what they need most, and these purchases will help revitalise local economies."

Application forms for the grants are online at http://www.blogger.com/www.redcross.org.nz. Grants will be electronically transferred into each recipient's bank account once approved.

The New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Appeal has raised $11.6 million to date

To make an automatic $20 donation, call 0900 733 27, or text 4419 to donate $3.

By Hayden Donnell

Councillor Unhappy with Cordon

Christchurch earthquake: Councillor unhappy with cordon

By Shabnam Dastgheib

9:05 PM Sunday Feb 27, 2011

 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10709168

 

Christchurch city councillor who is living inside the central cordon says police and Civil Defence could make life a lot easier for residents like him.

Yani Johanson has stayed inside the cordon following Tuesday's magnitude 6.3 quake after his building was given the green light by inspectors. About a quarter of those in his building have also stayed on.

"I'm very disappointed by the lack of communication between the residents and the authorities. After September's quake I said we needed a leaflet drop so people know what's going on. I've offered to do that myself but I can't print them without help so that hasn't happened," Mr Johanson told NZPA.

Mr Johanson's apartment is a block away from the ill-fated Canterbury Television building, which has collapsed. He says life in the cordon was a nightmare because of arbitrary rules imposed by police.

"We have a green-stickered building which is safe and we could get friends without accommodation to stay with us but because of the curfew and the fact that they can't get in the cordon, we haven't been able to offer that."

Mr Johanson questioned why the curfew began at 6.30pm when it didn't get dark until three hours after that. He also said he had been trying to get authorities to put portaloos inside the cordon but that hadn't happened yet.

"We don't have backyards which we can use so we have few options with our waste and I haven't seen any portaloos around. It is especially hard since we can't leave the cordon after 6.30pm.

"As inner city residents we need identification so we can get in and out of the cordon easily. Yesterday I had to walk an hour around the cordon to get to my place through a different entrance for no reason that I could see. It's just a joke."

Mr Johanson said the people of Lyttelton had identification to get in and out easily and he didn't see why those in the central city couldn't have that too.

The inner city was suffering but if police made life too hard then nobody would want to live there at all, and that would create a ghost town.

Superintendent Dave Cliff advised people to use the media to get updates about the current situation.

"In terms of updating them, we ask they just look at media, everything else the council is dealing with," Mr Cliff said.

Mayor Bob Parker, who also lived inside the central cordon, said there was no portaloo outside his house, either. However, more would be distributed in the coming days.

"We will work those in the city as we are working with those in the rest of town," he said.

Water would also be made available, he said.

- NZPA

Run on Survival Gear

Christchurch earthquake: Run on survival gear

6:05 AM Monday Feb 28, 2011

 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10709164

 

Some people in Christchurch are having to gather water in solar showers and watering cans as shops sell out of containers.

Outdoor supplies and DIY stores say they are selling out of water purifiers, portable toilets, generators and gas canisters.

Steve Heap, operations manager at Bunnings Warehouse in Riccarton, said the store had been discounting large orders and selling at cost to emergency services and groups of volunteers.

Finally, A Basic Comfort (Showers)

Finally - a basic comfort for grim and grimy Cantabs

By Chris Barclay of NZPA

6:38 PM Tuesday Mar 1, 2011

 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/christchurch-earthquake/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502981&objectid=10709520

 

After seven days of anguish, four minutes of bliss.

For hundreds of grim and grimy Cantabrians one simple pleasure was finally accessible today - a shower to at least wash away some of the discomfort a week after an earthquake turned their lives upside down.

Spreydon's Pioneer Stadium was one Christchurch location offering temporary relief in a shipping container turned ablution block.

Between 9am and 4.30pm the unclean inundated the facility - relishing the opportunity to feel, as one man, put it "a thousand times better".

The container, divided into three male and three female cubicles, went on stream yesterday; gas heating units were installed today to enhance the experience.

At full capacity 72 people per hour funnelled through; the shower curtains were open even later as news spread.

For Herman Toailoa, a supermarket butcher who crossed town from liquefaction-hit Linwood, the time consuming journey was worth every second.

"It was only five minutes but it was great, he said after he'd spent the day helping dumping $100,000 worth of rotting meat.

"I heard about it on the radio last night and that was me."

University of Canterbury psychology graduate Shawn Lim wandered over from across the street for his first decent wash for four days.

"I was in my friend's house but they've moved to Masterton three days ago," he said.

The 24-year-old was hit hard by the September 4 quake when his family home in Mt Pleasant was classified as uninhabitable, yet that hardship was put into perspective by the city's next savage quake.

"My professor's dead," he said. "She died in the CTV building."

- NZPA

Strong winds could delay rescue effort

Published: 7:21AM Wednesday March 02, 2011 Source: ONE News

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/strong-winds-could-delay-rescue-effort-4043174

The threat of high winds could lead to the suspension of search and rescue work in the CBD.

Head of Urban Search and Rescue Russell Wood said if the wind goes beyond a certain threshold, USAR teams may have to halt operations because of the danger from unstable structures.

Winds picked up to around 50km/h just after midday, but are expected to strengthen to about 90km/h, sparking concerns about people breathing in earthquake debris.

The gale force northwesterlies were expected in the city and across Canterbury this morning before easing during the rest of the day.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker told TV ONE's Breakfast that he was already "rubbing his eyes and coughing a little bit" and that there would be "choking clouds of dust in some areas of the city".

"This is a very hot wind, it's going to be a very warm day I suspect," he said.

He said face masks would be compulsory today for all rescue workers and that millions of masks would be brought into Christchurch within the next 48 hours for residents.

Parker said that when tests where undertaken following the September 4 earthquake, the dust was not toxic.

However, he said the dust was a "bad irritant" for anyone with even a mild respiratory problem.

"The other side of it is that it will pick up materials and blow them around a bit and there's a lot of loose stuff," he said.

"So be very aware, take precautions. If you can put a pile of stuff in a place where it's not going to blow around it will help you a lot."

Superintendent Russell Gibson told Breakfast people should not go out unless they have to, while the MetService warned the "very windy conditions" could make driving difficult, particularly for people on motorcycles.

Gibson said all of his staff are wearing masks and goggles to protect against the wind.

The threat of high winds and tinder-dry conditions prompted a total open air fire ban to be issued in Canterbury yesterday. Many of the rural volunteer firefighters are tied up with work in the Christchurch CBD. 

The 48-hour ban was issued at midday. A high of 27 degrees Celsius is expected today in Christchurch.

The Drummer to the Drum (Poem) - Gary McCormack

Gary McCormack: 'What the drummer said to the drum'

By Susie Nordqvist

7:16 PM Friday Feb 25, 2011

 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10708753

 

Entertainer Gary McCormack has penned a poem about the Christchurch earthquake, after being thrown off his feet when it struck last Tuesday.

McCormack was standing outside the More FM building when the 6.3 magnitude quake struck hit and says he realised the seriousness of it immediately.

"My poem really is about anger, because I'm still really cross about the whole thing," he said.

"I'm cross at no-one in particular, I'm sort of cross at how these things happened.

"So I did write something. Over the last couple of days when I picked myself off the ground in Christchurch the other day and looked around and saw the absolute pandemonium and the misery and destruction."

What the drummer said to the drum

You miserable low life bastard.

We saw you on the fourth of September calling into town on your spineless spine, giving us a flick and looking us over.

It was an earthquake then for the yellow pages. Remember the torch, the bottles of water.

In September you were just the piano player, tinkling the ivories. In moustache. Pretty out there. Eyeing the women on the dancefloor.

Then my o my you waited!

I saw you the other day run up a blind alley full of hatred and dark breath. Black clouds only pity us.

You held us down on the jagged ground. You shook the streets and the city buildings. You tore the spire from the cathedral.

And all those people.

The tourists taking photographs, the babies taken in pairs, the hikers in the hills.

The ones buried beneath us still.

You miserable bastard of a thing!

The time has come.

Said the drummer to the drum.

When I can make no sense of it.