December 2016
Landscaping work is now complete on the former site of the Pyne Gould Corporation building, creating a new green public space in the North Frame.
Guided by feedback from the families of the eighteen people that lost their lives and those who were seriously injured in the building, Ōtākaro Limited has created a simple and peaceful landscaped area that incorporates seating and outdoor lighting.
Three trees that stood outside the building and a portion of the carpark have been retained. These were identified as important to some family members and help to retain the connection to the site where the tragic events and loss of life occurred.
“We have sought to create a simple and peaceful place in an area that will become increasingly busy. The landscaping of the site is respectful to the tragic events that occurred but it is not intended to be a memorial. The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial is the memorial to those who lost their lives and the events that changed the city forever,” says Ōtākaro Chief Executive Albert Brantley.
In addition to the PGC site, work has also been completed on the nearby Barker Plantation (North of the Margaret Mahy Family Playground). Once a fruit plantation, this area now features a shared riverside walkway and cycle way, additional trees and refurbished lighting.
Ōtākaro has also requested proposals for the design of the North Frame Pedestrian Bridge, a distinctive and functional piece of infrastructure that will improve access to the area for those walking or biking.