Demolition to begin on Cathedral Square buildings
The clock is ticking for one of Christchurch’s ‘Dirty 30’ buildings, following the announcement of a series of demolitions.
The strip of abandoned shops - a two-storey pavilion and the six-storey car park which wraps around the 14-storey former Rydges Hotel, on the corner of Oxford Tce and Worcester Blvd - is expected to be gone by April 2024.
The Christchurch City Council granted Emmons Development NZ Ltd resource consent to demolish the buildings in May 2023, and on Thursday said the works will begin in September.
Emmons Development, whose sole shareholder is Singaporean-based Naoaki Sun, plans to redevelop the hotel after demolition is complete. Emmons Development also owned the cleared site of the former 12-storey Grant Thornton office building, which was demolished in 2012 and located next to the car park.
Read the full story from reporter Sinead Gill here (subscription required).
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.2% Yes
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46.8% No
Poll: Pedestrian access is being extended to the Ōtakaro Avon River - good idea?
Pedestrian access from one of Christchurch’s favourite streets is being extended all the way to the Ōtakaro Avon River. This new 12m-wide pathway will give you a direct, easy route from the street to the river promenade ... perfect for a stroll, a coffee run, or just soaking up the riverside vibes.
We want to know: In your view, what makes a city people-friendly?
What else should our urban areas be doing to support better community connections?
Curious about the full plans? You can check them out here.
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93.1% Yes
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6.9% No
A riddle to start the festive season 🌲🎁🌟
I'm a fruit. If you take away my first letter, I'm a crime. If you take away my first two letters, I'm an animal. If you take away my first and last letter, I'm a form of music. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
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