Cathedral Square Walkway Open for Christmas and New Year

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has partially reopened Cathedral Square to allow the public to see the changes that have taken place in the heart of Christchurch.

The walkway into the Square will provide much closer viewing of the Christchurch Cathedral and surrounds compared to the existing walkway. The New Zealand Defence Force personnel based at the intersection’s red zone checkpoint will continue to manage public access.

CERA chief executive Roger Sutton said, “I hope people will go along in their holidays and see the Square as it is today, and then look forward to the exciting new space it will become at the heart of a dynamic new central city – which we will begin to see unfold in the new year.”  

Although many buildings have come down already, demolitions continue around Cathedral Square. The group of people gathered at the fence on Sunday 23^rd December were quiet as they absorbed the extent of the loss to the city. A few took photos but most just looked at the gaps where buildings, hotels, stores and cinemas used to stand.

The walkway is accessible from the corner of Colombo and Gloucester Streets and will remain open until 6 January 2013.

All photos are of Cathedral Square as it was on the 23rd December 2012