Christchurch 2014

September 10, 2010 was the 7.1 Canterbury Earthquake and February 22, 2011 was the 6.3 Christchurch Earthquake.  This google map shows all the road blockages still in effect in August 2014.

The famed Christchurch Town Hall was damaged......and still closed.  The city has voted to completely renovate the structure.

In the center city, buildings still show the rescue effort markings.

The front face of the main church of Christchurch....collapsed.

This easily could be a disaster porn post, but the community is working on bringing the city back!

The collapsed church has relocated to this new "transitional church."

It's constructed out of reinforced CARDBOARD!!!

Everything has a reinforced cardboard theme. 

And a shopping street has been revitalized.  Here's the store that made me understand and kind of fall in love with Steampunk!

But the best and most interesting urban project is the Gap Filler.

The commons is one of the "gap fillers."  It stands on the grounds of one of the former hotels in central Christchurch.

There are food trucks and they are replacing a former makeshift amphitheater.

One lot has an outdoor public library.....housed in a former freezer.  As we walked around town a woman asked us how we were enjoying her "broken city."  I didn't really know how to respond.

Temporary art galleries in shipping containers.

What's this?

Reservations for the "Dance-O-Mat"  Put in a quarter....

Hook up your phone, hit play and......

You've got a dance party!  In the middle of a gravel lot, there is a dance floor, speakers and lights!

Ok, here's Carlos' version....he is better at photo editing than I am! 

Here's one thing that was interesting.  Walking around Christchurch, the city was EMPTY.  Few people on the streets. But the most life we found was in the casino.  It was packed.  Carlos became a member of the club and we got a two-for-one meal in the restaurant!  No cooking in the camper van that night!