Blessing for newly landscaped CTV site

Family members of those who died in the CTV building have left flowers and tributes at the newly landscaped site.

A private blessing ceremony, held on Wednesday evening, was a chance for bereaved families, survivors and people who suffered injuries, to experience the landscaped site where the Canterbury Television building once stood.

The landscaped CTV site retains a large part of the building's original concrete slab foundation.

Guests were invited to plant flowers, ferns and grasses before the blessing led by Kaumatua Aroha Reriti-Crofts and Apotoro James Robinson. Waiata were sung and Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Dr Megan Woods, Minister of Greater Christchurch Regeneration, were guest speakers, along with Te Maire Tau, Upoko of Ngāi Tūāhuriri.

The seven-storey CTV building on the corner of Madras and Cashel Streets collapsed and caught fire following the 22 February, 2011 earthquake, a disaster that claimed 115 lives.

Landscaping work on the site began in October and finished just in time for the formal blessing, despite heavy rain over the past few days. The site is open to the public from today, the seventh anniversary of the quake.

Crown company Ōtākaro Ltd has been leading the project to transform the site into a peaceful place to sit and reflect.

Feedback was sought from bereaved family members and their wishes have been incorporated into the design.

A large part of the original concrete slab foundation for the building has been retained on the eastern side of the site and left exposed.

Other areas of the site will be covered in stone chip for those who do not want to walk over the slab.

There is an area of lawn with stepping stones and a central grove has been planted with 14 cherry trees flanked by seven kowhai trees along with a garden full of native and exotic plants to provide variety and seasonal colour.

A stone plinth has the words, “Remembering those who lost their lives at this site in the earthquake on 22 February 2011” carved into it. Mementoes will be able to be placed or attached to a vertical, panelled structure nearby.

Water runs over a stone ‘bridge’ that connects to the lawn area.