Take a SmartView of Christchurch

Christchurch is one step closer to its goal of becoming New Zealand’s most connected city.

A new Christchurch-specific web app, SmartView Christchurch, is being trialled.

SmartView gives users access to a range of real-time information about the city.

It gives users access to a range of real-time information about the city, including data on how to find local mountain bike tracks and also check that they are open, the number of spaces available in car park buildings, the nearest bus stop and the time of the next arrival, air quality, how to get places, events, where to see street art, weather updates and the latest airport arrivals and departures.

“We hope that SmartView will become the everyday ‘go-to digital destination’ for city visitors and residents,” Christchurch City Council Smart Cities Programme Manager Teresa McCallum says. “The beta version now available for public feedback is the first major step in creating a consistent citywide digital experience.

“We aim to make information more accessible to the general public by combining multiple sources in one place.”

Ms McCallum says the app will continue to be developed as more real-time data is made available from public and private sectors and partners in central and local government.

“As we increase the number of datasets, we aim to create a web app that will become essential for Christchurch residents and visitors alike,” she says.

“We have identified early on that there are several places you can go to find data about Christchurch, but those sites can sometimes be hard to find and difficult to understand.

Our aim is not to replace these dedicated mobile apps and websites, but rather we are presenting this information in one easy-to-to-use site.”

Public feedback will further enhance the development of the web app.

“We are actively seeking input to shape the content of the production version to enhance SmartView Christchurch and make it beneficial to all users,” she says.

Users will be able to provide feedback directly on the web app.

“Ultimately, the production release will be community-designed and developed,” Ms McCallum says.

The production version will be released at the Smart Cities Christchurch Innovation Expo on 21 May.

“You can take a ‘SmartView’ of Christchurch and save it to your phone’s home screen today.”

Other Council apps available for use include Snap, Send, Solve, which allows you to report issues to the Council, and Chch Events, which gives information on events in the city.