Plans to revamp damaged Square
Dramatic changes reshaping Christchurch’s Cathedral Square to attract people and events have been unveiled for public consultation.
Green spaces with trees and waterways, no cars, temporary buildings to attract the arts and creative activities, areas for public events, and spaces for young people are key aspects of the draft plan.
The ideas have been generated by a joint Christchurch City Council and Crown rebuild authority Regenerate Christchurch group. They now want feedback before settling on details of design and funding. Parts of the design could be in place next year.
Regenerate Christchurch chief executive Ivan Iafeta said they wanted the Square to be different from, and much better than, it was before the earthquakes.
‘‘We want to bring life back into the city centre. We want to know what will attract people back,’’ Iafeta said.
‘‘The Square has to be a destination, not just a place to pass through.’’
The Square will be reshaped to to create three connected spaces.
Temporary buildings, which could be replaced later by permanent ones, would help ‘‘activate’’ spaces and form a sheltered courtyard in the northwest corner by the Convention Centre.
The biggest of the three spaces – Post Office Place on the southern side – would hold up to 10,000 people for public events such as festivals, concerts and sports fan zones.
Library Plaza in the northeast corner in front of the new public library would have flexible street furniture and be designed to attract smaller public events and young people.
On the east and southern side of the Christ Church Cathedral site would be Cathedral Gardens, a series of landscaped gardens with water features intended as a ‘‘tranquil, family-friendly refuge’’.
The plan included improving links to the Square by upgrading surrounding lanes and streets. Traffic, except perhaps for public transport such as the tram, would go. New forms of transport such as light rail, electric shuttles or an aerial gondola were possibilities.
Special powers under the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act could be used to make the changes needed, Iafeta said.
After a three-week public consultation period, plans will be finalised and then go to the city council and Greater Christchurch Regeneration Wagner.
Regenerate Christchurch’s general manager of regeneration planning, Jim Lunday, said funding sources would be part of the finalised plan. More than the $9 million already jointly set aside by the council and central government would be needed.
‘‘We are not talking about new money coming in. We are talking about reshuffling the priorities of existing funders.’’
Lunday said while the plan would be done in stages, they needed areas to be ready for the opening of the new library and Distinction Christchurch hotel in a year’s time.
Private property owners had Minister Nicky told them they wanted a clear vision for the area, Lunday said.
‘‘The clock is ticking. Without this investment, we cannot expect the private sector to invest here or residents to come and live here.
‘‘We need the density of people back to help activate this area.’’
Some of the designs would be temporary or transitional and could be adapted while the city developed, Lunday said.
Council staff were already starting to clear the way for redevelopment of the Square by getting private owners to tidy sites.
A previous $9.2m Square redevelopment plan was shelved last year because of uncertainty over anchor projects.