NICKY WAGNER MP for Christchurch Central - Newsletter

Hello everyone

Another busy few weeks among the ethnic communities in Christchurch. From dance to sport to official celebrations. I have particularly enjoyed getting actively involved (see Indonesian line dance photos below!!) and there’s plenty of cultural activity ahead too.

Mooncake Festival and China National Day celebrations

Sunday 30th September was an auspicious day to party. Both the Guangdong Association of Christchurch and the NZ China Friendship Society held events to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Mooncake Festival and China’s National Day on 1 October, this year marking 63 years of the People’s Republic of China.

Madam Tan Xiutian, the Chinese Consul General attended the New Zealand-China Friendship Society celebrations and as expected, there was wonderful food and music, including performers from the University of Canterbury’s Confucius Institute.

Nicky in the City - October-November

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NitC October November 2012

Sound Bites 4 September 2012: Two Years On

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Two years on from the 4 September 2010 earthquake, it is challenging to articulate exactly what we Cantabrians are feeling on this day.

As we look back over two years of unimaginable upheaval, loss and devastation, the people of Christchurch and Canterbury are pausing to reflect and at the same time, contemplate our future.

A common sentiment emerging in informal and community discussions is … fatigue. We have lived through such testing and uncertain times for twenty four months and it has been draining - physically, emotionally, and psychologically.

Continue reading "Sound Bites 4 September 2012: Two Years On"

Sound Bites 31 July 2012

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Christchurch Recovery Plan delivers a 21st century city

The blueprint for Christchurch’s centre city represents a major step forward for Christchurch Central and tremendous progress for Canterbury after so much devastation and ongoing upheaval since the earthquakes.

The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan showcases the new city, and features facilities for high performance sports, health and innovation, and a new convention centre. Christchurch will be divided into precincts of health, arts and entertainment, retail, and the justice and emergency sectors.

As someone who lives in Christchurch’s city centre, I echo the sentiments of many who have waited a long time for plans for our city’s redevelopment to be revealed … and I am delighted with what I have seen.

Continue reading "Sound Bites 31 July 2012"

Birds Eye View - 27 July 2012

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Hello again everyone

It was a refreshing and inspiring evening at our latest Bird’s Eye View: Women’s perspectives on the Christchurch Recovery and Rebuild.

Everyone had an opportunity to comment, share ideas and opinions, and offer their ‘silver lining’ stories. And the collective goodwill in the room was really invigorating.

The general feeling was that organisations and businesses are responding positively and intelligently to change in our communities. They are getting excited about future possibilities and opportunities in our city and as a group, we actively focused on those possibilities on the night.

The mood was extremely positive and we are all looking forward to the outcome of the blueprint for Christchurch next week. We want to embrace change and a better future for our communities and the next generation.

There was a strong feeling that after all we’ve been through, we’ve got to make the most of every opportunity and every possibility.

Continue reading "Birds Eye View - 27 July 2012"

Nicky in the City July 2012

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Hello everyone

Looking back over past issues of this newsletter provides an interesting insight into the changing nature of the challenges and milestones in the earthquake recovery and rebuild of our city.

As we approach two years since the first earthquake of September 2010, some of the building and housing issues are becoming very complex. My electorate office and I have received an increasing number of enquiries about zoning, some extremely complicated, and many concerning green zone Technical Category 3.

To assist in the process, I have begun holding regular meetings with local community members to discuss TC3 concerns. These have proved co-operative and beneficial, as I know it is vital the correct information is delivered to and discussed with affected residents.

EQC reports they now have 17,500 fully completed repairs. The enormity of that task is put in perspective when you consider that is almost the size of Timaru. Ninety repairs per day are currently underway, while 14,000 holes are to be drilled for the drilling programme. The EQC website features a list of drilling dates, including the image below (see all dates here).

Earthquake assistance and services

Fletcher Earthquake Recovery hubs at Mairehau, 280 Westminster St, tel: 341 9995 and Woolston, 596 Ferry Rd, tel: 341 9954
Red Cross winter assistance grants – phone 0800 754 726 Download form here
Barbadoes Street Youth Hub - youth friendly, collaborative services for the city’s young people in a single, centralised location: health, employment, education, welfare community/voluntary services phone (03) 353 6880
Rebuild Christchurch features an extensive list of community networks on its website
My Christchurch Central electorate office staff welcome your enquiries. Feel free to phone 365 8297 between 10am and 3pm or email chchoffice@nicky.wagner.co.nz

SNOW 2012 - MP Nicky Wagner’s Christchurch Central electorate office

Africa Day celebrates our rich and vibrant cultural diversity

What a feast of culture, music, dance, dress, and food at the 49th Africa Unity Anniversary celebrations at St Albans Baptist Church recently.

The celebrations marked the unity of the 54 countries of Africa and as we saw, you can’t celebrate Africa Day without lots of music, song, dance, good food and colourful cultural dress. We had wonderful specialist food from many countries, washed down with fabulous coffee from Ethiopia, of course!

Congratulations

Mr Peter and Mrs Maureen Hamilton on their 60th wedding anniversary 14th June
Mr Nevill and Mrs Merle Staples on their 60th wedding anniversary 21st June
Mrs Nancy Rudkin on her 100th birthday 29th June
Mrs Isobel Forbes on her 100th birthday 18th July
Mrs Doris Robertson on her 100th birthday 28th July

Canterbury Volunteer Recognition Awards 2012

Congratulations to the following community members honoured in the recent Volunteer Recognition Awards, all of whom freely gave their time, unpaid and in the common good, in very difficult times following the earthquakes.

Ahmed Tani, Canterbury Refugee Council
Amber Johnson, Familial Trust
Anne Franks, Hearing Association of Chch
Apinchalit Clark, Thai Buddhist Temple
Betty Chapman, Wainoni-Avonside Community Service Trust
Chanbora Ke, Canterbury Cambodian Assn
Elsie Sanders, Holy Trinity Avonside Anglican Church
First steps to Literacy, Volunteers from the Hagley Adult Literacy Centre
Hydrotherapy Volunteers at Arthritis NZ
Leo Frost, St John of God Halswell
Long-Serving Walking Guides from the Christchurch Personal Guiding Service
Mark Hawley, Christchurch City Mission
Maureen Snelling, Christchurch City Mission

Maurice Joy and dog Roxie, Hospital Helping Hands (pictured at left with Hon Jo Goodhew)
Ola Kamel, Egyptian Association Canterbury
Pat Isle, Bishopdale Community Trust
Phil Humphries, Parafed Canterbury
Quake Volunteers, St Luke’s Centre
Rebuild Christchurch Foundation Members
Safecare Volunteers from the Sexual Abuse Survivors Trust
Sultana Islam, Shakti Ethnic Women’s Support Group

Such well deserved recognition for all award recipients.

Birds Eye View - 3 July 2012

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Hosted by Nicky Wagner MP for Christchurch Central and joined by Guest Speakers, Fiona Haynes, Director of Learning Environments, CPIT, Dr Therese Arseneau, Executive Chair, CSO and Vanessa Taylor SWAP (Single Women as Parents), the second “Birds Eye View” meeting for 2012 is sure to be another interesting and dynamic meeting.

WHEN: Thursday, 12th July 2012

WHERE: Bayleys Auctions Rooms, Ground Floor, 3 Deans Avenue

TIME: 5.45pm

RSVP: Email chchoffice@nickywagner.co.nz
or phone (03) 365 1076 – SPACE IS LIMITED SO BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT

Come along to this informal meeting which focuses on the rebuild of Christchurch from a women’s perspective. There will be time for a general discussion afterwards so if you want to introduce a topic, we have an open microphone available but please let me know if you want to share your idea’s.

SPEAKERS:

Vanessa Taylor (Manager SWAP) - Married at an early age and then divorced for a period of 6 years set me in good stead to take on the role as Manager at Single Women as Parents. I have worked in the community for over 40 years both as a volunteer and as a paid worker and find it both rewarding and frustrating. My experiences over the years working firstly in the Council and then in the community has given me a great opportunity for networking, and the importance of strategic direction personally and professionally.

Fiona Haynes (Director of Learning Environments at CPIT) - From a background in architecture, Fiona moved into the Education sector in the early 80’s working as a Technology and Graphic’s teacher at Aranui High School and Riccarton High School. She was then headhunted in 1995 to begin the technology training at Christchurch College of Education when it became compulsory for levels 1 – 13 in schools. In 2004 she took up the position of Dean of Trades and Engineering at CPIT and in 2011 moved into the position of Director of Learning Environments undertaking the master planning for CPIT to meet to emerging needs for the recovery of Christchurch and Canterbury.

Dr Therese Arseneau (Executive Chair, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra) - Dr Therese Arseneau is the Executive Chair of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. She first joined the Board of Arts Management Limited as independent Chair in 2009 when CSO and Southern Opera merged their governance and back offices.
Courtesy of Creative NZ

I do hope you can join us.