Category: Ideas

https://www.redzonefutures.nz/
Public Exhibition
Date: Saturday 26 May – Saturday 30 June 2018
Location: 99 Cashel St, Cashel Mall, Christchurch Central
Online Exhibition: https://engage.regeneratechristchurch.nz/red-zone-futures-exhibition-online
Feedback: https://pacific.surveys.nielsen.com/survey/selfserve/53b/onl45959#?

Red Zone Futures: Our Six Key Principles
https://aureconspatial.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=3e5ef08e65b14d4c8720b0fe1490cbcf
1. Mahinga Kai
Mahinga kai provides a holistic framework for us to understand, enjoy, restore and sustainably manage the river and its natural resources.
Mahinga kai presents a unique opportunity to adopt a holistic management approach to the entire Regeneration Area. Not only would it ensure a sustainable approach is taken, it would offer learning opportunities for visitors and local communities.

2. Water in the Future – Ngā Tikanga Wai ā Muri
The highest priorities for Christchurch residents in Nielsen’s 2017 Community Needs Survey were protecting our drinking water and improving water quality. Similarly, as kaitiaki (guardians) of the Ōtākaro Avon River, it’s vitally important to Ngāi Tūāhuriri / Ngāi Tahu that our water quality is protected and restored.
Stormwater Treatment
The Regeneration Area presents a cost-effective opportunity to retrofit stormwater treatment for a large suburban area of Christchurch.
To treat the 2,500-hectare catchment area of Christchurch city, we need approximately 80 hectares of detention ponds and wetlands for stormwater treatment.
Flooding and Sea Level Rise
Christchurch was built on swamps and dunes around the Ōtākaro Avon and Ōpāwaho Heathcote rivers. Because of the low-lying nature of the land, it’s vital that we plan for sea level rise, floods and stormwater treatment.
Currently, temporary stopbanks extend almost the length of the river through the Regeneration Area. These were deisgned for a 20-year lifespan and will need to be replaced with permanent stopbanks.
We need to plan wisely for future flooding events and sea level rise to ensure we can adapt to the future.
Floodable Landscape
Permanent stopbanks are likely to be set further back from the river than temporary stopbanks. This means their height can be reduced (for the same amount of protection) and they can be built on more stable ground. A wider setback also allows for more natural river edges and wetlands, which provide a buffer against flooding as well as improving the habitat of native species such as īnaka (whitebait) and tuna (eels).

3. Living Laboratory – Hanga Taiao Ora
The Regeneration Area provides a unique opportunity for a ‘living laboratory’ – a place to explore and test ideas, take risks, learn, experiment and research.
What could a living laboratory look like?
1. There could be joint applied science degrees focused on the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor as part of long-term environmental research projects.
2. Christchurch has an ‘experimental buffer’ in the Regeneration Area to test adaption and transformation opportunities, and respond to predicted changes in sea level.
3. There could be adaptable housing experimentation to explore more sustainable housing options.
4. We have received proposals for cultural sculptural and garden heritage trails. A trail could include stories, showcase communities, explain ecological and environmental initiatives and mahinga kai sites.
5. There could be discovery learning in schools with an interest in nature, land and water, and opportunities for schools to pursue outdoor learning and regeneration projects.

4. Memories – Ngā Maharatanga
Before the earthquakes, many communities called the Regeneration Area home. Some families had lived there for generations, forging strong local bonds and enjoying a high quality of life. Sense of place was strong, and residents drew their identity from their connections to the river, parks, estuary and sea.
Countless memories were made in the schools, parks and homes in the area. While the face of the land has changed immeasurably, these stories will always be treasured.
How can we honour these memories?
– Maintain some original streets and residential plantings.
– Retain landscape elements such as curb cut-downs, street lights and signs.
– Incorporate recycled materials like letterboxes or keys in art.
– Provide opportunities to remember former homeowners’ names in the landscape.
– Investigate repurposing the Medway Street footbridge.
– Establish an information centre or outdoor museum.
– Providing interpretation of pre-European, European and ‘red zoning’ with signs and apps.

5. Strengthening Communities
Regenerating this area offers an incredible opportunity to bring communities together and enhance whānaungatanga, in new places that support increased wellbeing.
Reconnecting river communities
– A City to Sea path with links into nearby communities will create places and opportunities for local communities and visitors to come together.
Reconnecting the edges
– The red zoning process left some abrupt edges to neighbourhoods and interrupted streets. Reconnected edges would help to once again link neighbourhoods with the river and create a safer, more appealing river corridor.
Community spaces
– A range of spaces where communities can meet and gather, each designed with the local community, could be created. These could include dog parks, natural playgrounds, fitness stations, community gardens, amphitheatres or buildings.
Community stewardship
– Communities know their own needs best. A framework for community involvement in the governance and delivery of the Regeneration Plan could be developed. This would help communities identify opportunities, and influence the design and ongoing management to align with community aspirations.

6. Regenerating Nature – He Oranga Taiao Hōu
By understanding the river’s floodplain, habitats, soil types, and the effects of sea level rise, we can work with nature to restore the ecology of the land and water.
Naturalising the edges
– There’s an opportunity to recreate some of the wetlands and river terraces to provide habitats for īnaka (whitebait), tuna (eels) and birds, and act as a buffer to limit storm damage.
Changing salinity
– As sea levels rise we’ll increasingly see plants and open spaces adapt as salinity moves further up-river.
Predator control
– Increased predator control and predator-free sanctuaries have enabled native birds to flourish in New Zealand cities. Low-lying wetlands are challenging to predator-proof, so it might be more practical to establish a control programme. If predator control is successful, the Regeneration Area could create a ‘halo’ effect with native birds spreading into people’s backyards.

Our Objectives
For Christchurch:
– Support safe, strong and healthy communities that are well-connected with each other and with the wider city.
– Provide opportunities for enhanced community participation, recreation and leisure.
– Create a restored native habitat with good quality water so there is an abundant source of mahinga kai, birdlife and native species.
– Create opportunities for sustainable economic activity and connections that enhance our wellbeing and prosperity now and into the future.
For New Zealand:
– Develop the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor to attract a wide range of domestic and international visitors.
– Establish a world-leading living laboratory, where we learn, experiment and research; testing and creating new ideas and ways of living.
– Demonstrate how to adapt to the challenges and opportunities presented by natural hazards, climate change and a river’s floodplain.