Living in New Zealand: Christchurch Has Fantastic Libraries and Tūranga is the Best
Tūranga is the best thing about the post-earthquake Christchurch city rebuild (Click to see options for using the image)
I love libraries. They are the original community-sharing resource, but even if you never borrow anything, they are great spaces to be in. The new library in the middle of Christchurch, Tūranga, is incredible. It is a beautifully designed space, with lots of different areas depending on what you want to do in the library. There are quieter areas as well as areas for kids to play around in or for people to collaborate in.
The children’s area on the first floor of Tūranga library
There are a couple of cafes, a computer lab and a room for making music. As well as books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs and CDs there are also games, puzzles and interactive displays. And there are incredible views over a city that is changing before our eyes.
Looking south from Christchurch Central Library over the cathedral towards the Port Hills
https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/turanga/turanga-floor-by-floor/
The earthquake has also meant a rebuild of many suburban libraries like the one in Lincoln.
Lincoln library
Some libraries weren’t destroyed in the earthquake. One of my favourites, New Brighton library, is one of them.
Unfortunately, the ugly Lyttelton library is another.
New Zealand Garden Diary: The South Island Robin
New Zealand South Island Robin: Click to see options for using the image
The South Island Robin is one of my favourite birds. You don't see it very often in Lyttelton, because there are too many predators (cats, dogs, rats and stoats) and not enough bush to hide in. I have seen them quite often when out tramping in native forest, but it was a delight to encounter one at my friend’s place on the West Coast.
Living in New Zealand: Cycling From the Sea to the City Along the Avon, Christchurch
We now have a bike rack for Gertie, so headed over to North Beach, Brighton to do the Avon Trail, which follows the River Avon through the Red Zone and into the city.
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I was a bit jealous of the paddleboarders
Click to see the interactive map on the Christchurch City Council website
We still don’t know what is happening to the Red Zone. It has been 8 years since the earthquakes and the only sign of the demolished houses now is the exotic shrubs and the disappearing driveways.
This is part of the “munted” Medway bridge that was twisted in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake
Christchurch has become a much better place to cycle post-earthquake and the city is really starting to come alive again as the last of the big buildings are being demolished and rebuilt.
It took us about an hour and a quarter to cycle into the city. We were going to get the bus back out, but we enjoyed the ride so much we cycled back along the river instead.
Living in New Zealand: The Kleptomaniac Weka
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Wekas are birds I have only seen when tramping or on the West Coast. They are about the size of a chicken and can be just as damaging to a vegetable garden, so I guess it is lucky we don't have them in Lyttelton.