Posts by Just thinking
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Starts with B & is always voted in with the greatest number of votes in the area?
Actually is very responsive to the local community needs, which is why she gets voted in again and again.
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Dear SOAC Members and Supporters
17 September 2010
Your Executive Committee are very concerned at the announcement of Ian Athfield to head a group of architects, etc to prepare some plans for Christchurch's future, within 2 months. Our concerns fall into three parts.
First, the process of his appointment was simply a Bob Parker decision, with no City Council meeting/discussion/consultation at all, yet there was absolutely no hurry for any such decision to be made. SOAC believe such fundamentally important appointments, if they are to be made, are made openly and transparently, with all Councillors at the very least having a "say". And we would also argue community consultation is also very important. The Institute of Architects should know this and should themselves have insisted on a Council and community debate, not a rushed decision behind closed doors.
Second, SOAC believes that the concept of an expert group from the relevant disciplines needed to plan the development of a damaged city has wide international support and is often used. However, SOAC believes what is also essential is that that group and its total composition has itself wide support from the community it is about to serve. Mr Athfield's suddenly announced appointment does not have wide community support, in our view, and in fact is attracting some serious objection.
Third, Ian Athfield has a record in Christchurch on heritage issues that makes him, in your SOAC Executive's view, unacceptable. He was the architect for the appalling 2006 suggestions of alterations to our Museum [including a Maori Whare on the top and major modern alterations to the front]. These proposals were thrown out by the Environment Court, thank heavens, after a small group of individuals committed to heritage values challenged the Museum Board and the City Council. [Sound familiar??] Then, last year, Mr Athfield's firm provided a senior member for the CCC design panel which enthusiastically supported the Music School proposal. [Ian is of course, and coincidentally, a close friend Sir Miles Warren!!]
Although it has been stated that issues surrounding the future of heritage buildings would not be part of the team's brief, sensitivity to heritage is vital when considering redevelopment in our city.
Watch this space!!
Kind regards,
Ann Hercus,
SOAC Chair, on behalf of your SOAC Executive
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De Press today has historic property owners, with plaques on their wall complaining about not being able to just demolish our history. They picked it up the property at a reduced rate because of its status and now want to realise a central city land value. Grumble grumble.
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Felix - who was that councillor?
The choice is such that you just can't guess, I have my favourites.
Please do tell.And the Civil Defense centre?
Was that the Art Gallery with the falling plaster or one of the relief centres? -
David Garrett doesn't exist. He is a Soviet Spy in deep cover.
Once a Communist, then Labour, but it was all an ACT.
He must be deported to Mother Russia.
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The rights & wrongs of the Martins aside, we just shouldn't know who they are.
Civil Defense shouldn't have the media inside the centre.
If they want to go out side to the footpath and have a chat in public space, good on them, but not inside a relief centre.
It was an invasion of their privacy.Look after yourself Joe.
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As new market rules are put in place to rebuild Christchurch, will that coorespondingly create a second market?
If your house is still solid and build under the old rules, will one market apply, & if you build/repair under these new rules will a second market with all the differernt risks involved of rushed legislation then appear?
As for Bexley, it would make a wonderful wetland. Do a land swap with central city bombs sites. This would be a head start on the repopulating of the City, from the dodgy developments (Urban & Suburban). Just build to code +.
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Theos has big wooden braces supporting it, but it doesn't look healthy.
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Missed church, but gave thanks for small mercies at the Dux de Lux, Warners, & Pomeroys this afternoon.
Pomeroys was the first brewry in Canterbury and also the first union labour. Dux the old Canty Uni union & Warners, well doesn't lend itself to (British) unionists.
Warners had a few broken glasses, Pomeroys a few bottle of wine broken and a few bricks missing, the Dux has parts taped off but is operating.
My fave fish n chip shops haven't been so lucky. The Fish Mongers Victoria St & Theos on Riccarton Rd are no more.
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With all the wisdom of rebuilding New Orleans below sealevel, the CCC are up for rebuilding Bexley, built on wetland/sand.
This ain't lightning we're talking about, it's an earth quake and a proven liqefaction zone. Dumb de dumb dumb dumb.