142-586: The Christchurch Transport Board was an autonomous special-purpose municipal authority responsible for the construction, acquisition, and ownership of local transport assets and the operation of public transport services in the Christchurch region of New Zealand's South Island . Constituted as the Christchurch Tramway Board in 1902, it operated trams and buses to Christchurch's outer suburbs and satellite towns for 84 years until being disestablished in
284-407: A borough council for the area, brought on by growth in the area, surveyor and future mayor Charles Allison advocated for the area to be named Sydenham, after the shop. The name was agreed upon, and Sydenham Borough Council came into existence in 1876. The first council and its mayor, George Booth, were elected in 1877. The population of the borough around this time was between five and six thousand,
426-515: A city around a cathedral and college, on the model of Christ Church in Oxford . Transport between the port and the new settlement at Christchurch was a major problem for the early settlers. By December 1849, Thomas had commissioned the construction of a road from Port Cooper, later Lyttelton , to Christchurch via Evans Pass and Sumner . By the time that John Robert Godley arrived in April 1850 all of
568-470: A cordial relationship with the Board and it was many years later before they called for major industrial action. The conservative influence on the Board faced its first challenge at the 1912 elections. The preceding year, voting rights in municipal elections had been opened up to all eligible adults, an opportunity various socialist groups sought to take advantage of by fielding their own candidates for election to
710-659: A decision to create a separate Tramway Board with elected representation from each affected district. To this end the Christchurch Tramway District Act was passed, effective from 26 September 1902, and the Christchurch Tramway Board was born. The Board's district included the City of Christchurch; the Boroughs of Sydenham , St. Albans , Linwood , Woolston , New Brighton , and Sumner ; and all or part of
852-512: A different route to Marshland Road, enabling the trams to continue running as far as Marshland Road. Having formed a favourable opinion of trolley buses, the Board decided to use them on a new line to Richmond . However, it realised that its troubles with Inter City Motors on the North Beach route would soon be resolved and given the vehicles that would become available, an extension of the trolley bus system would not be needed. An attempt to cancel
994-405: A few months later, which occurred directly under the city centre and also caused widespread damage, but this was less severe. Nearly two months later, on Tuesday 22 February 2011, an earthquake measuring magnitude 6.3 struck the city at 12:51 pm. Its hypocentre was located closer to the city, near Lyttelton, at a depth of 5 km (3 mi). Although lower on the moment magnitude scale than
1136-554: A grid pattern, centred on Cathedral Square . Growth initially took place along the tramlines, leading to radial development. Major expansion occurred in the 1950s and 60s, with the development of large areas of state housing . Settlements that had originally been remote, such as Sumner , New Brighton , Upper Riccarton and Papanui eventually became amalgamated into the expanding city. The Christchurch functional urban area , as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers 2,408.1 km (929.8 sq mi). Towns and settlements in
1278-584: A major improvement to local transport at the time, at around the turn of the century there was a mood for change. Other towns and cities around the country had either already established electric tram networks or were considering their introduction including Auckland (1902), Dunedin (1903), and Wellington (1904). The concessions under which the Christchurch Tramway Company was operating were due to expire at various times between September 1899 and 1919. With this in mind it sought to negotiate with
1420-523: A master plan in 2012 for redeveloping Sydenham after the earthquakes. The business district located south of Moorhouse Avenue was nicknamed "SoMo" by Lonely Planet in 2012. There were around 800 businesses employing 5000 people in Sydenham in 2013. The business precinct had branded itself as "Sydenham Quarter". This marketing campaign was part of the Sydenham master plan. The Sydenham school site surrounded by Colombo, Brougham, Buchan and Waverley streets
1562-716: A million. It is located in the Canterbury Region , near the centre of the east coast of the South Island, east of the Canterbury Plains . It is located near the southern end of Pegasus Bay , and is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean and to the south by the ancient volcanic complex of the Banks Peninsula . The Avon River (Ōtākaro) winds through the centre of the city, with a large urban park along its banks. With
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#17328591144011704-582: A number of minor natural disasters during this period. Heavy rain caused the Waimakariri River to flood Christchurch in February 1868. Victoria Square (known as Market Place at the time) was left underwater with "the whole left side of the [Avon] river from Montreal-street bridge to Worcester street was all one lake, as deep as up to a horse's belly". Christchurch buildings were damaged by earthquakes in 1869 , 1881 and 1888 . The 1888 earthquake caused
1846-516: A number which doubled by the end of the 19th century, making it among the largest boroughs in New Zealand at the time. Sydenham quickly flourished as a suburb. By 1902, the population of the suburb had more than doubled since its formation, making it the largest borough in New Zealand. It had roughly 2500 buildings with a combined value of roughly one million pounds, 26 miles (42 km) of roads, and 95 gas lamps for street lighting. On 31 March 1903,
1988-435: A period when there was also slow subsidence in the eastern coastal plains of Canterbury and Christchurch. The result has been the deposition of sequences of mostly fluvial gravel (occurring during periods of low sea level and glaciation), and fine deposits of silt, sand and clay, with some peat, shells and wood (occurring during interglacial periods when the sea level was similar to the present). The layers of gravel beneath
2130-507: A population density of 1,370 people per km . Sydenham, New Zealand Sydenham ( / ˈ s ɪ d ən ə m / ) is an inner suburb of Christchurch , New Zealand, 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) south of the city centre , on and around the city's main street, Colombo Street . It is a residential, retail and light industrial suburb. While the Sydenham area had seen development from the earliest days of European settlement in Christchurch, it
2272-484: A projected loss of around £10,000 was expected in 1932 unless there were further measures to reign in costs. To address its financial woes, the Board implemented a policy of staff reduction through attrition but as economic conditions worsened, fewer people wanted to leave their jobs with the Board, reducing the effectiveness of the policy. Wages remained the biggest expense, so the Board announced that there would be an 11% wage cut and reduction in working conditions. When
2414-419: A result of World War I , which restricted the supply of materials and thus meant extensions to the network were not possible. Patronage, which had held up well through the war years, was constrained after war's end by economic conditions restricting the growth of the tramway below that which had been desired by the Board. The Board adopted a patriotic stance during the war years as seen in measures it adopted at
2556-487: A seasonal settlement. Several Māori settlements were within Christchurch during the early-nineteenth century, such as Pūtarikamotu in modern-day Riccarton , and Papanui . In both cases these were located in areas of surviving tall forest. In South New Brighton there was a major Māori settlement named Te Kai-a-Te-Karoro , this was an important food-gathering area to Ngāi Tūāhuriri that had kelp gull presence and mānuka scrub. Te Ihutai (The Avon Heathcote Estuary )
2698-469: A short while on the lines formerly operated by the New Brighton and City and Suburban tramway companies: in the former case because completion of the electrification on that line had been delayed and in the latter case because of pressures on the Board with the construction of lines elsewhere. Other lines were initially operated with the steam motors once the track had been laid but before the installation of
2840-407: A single conductor on duty per tram regardless of the number of trailers. By mutual agreement with the union in February 1932, it was decided on a temporary system of a reduction in hours for all traffic staff rather than terminating the employment of 11 men that had become redundant. When the men refused to agree to a renewal of this arrangement the Board dismissed 12 of its staff. A rally in support of
2982-493: A system. A series of tramway conferences were held from the mid-1890s for the local bodies involved to advance the cause of municipalisation but it was not until March 1902 that the City Council acquiesced to the demands of its neighbours for a tramway board with elected members. The Tramway Conference had received an offer to construct and operate an electric tramway system from British Electric Traction (the same company that had
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#17328591144013124-457: A while, the intervention of World War 2 meant that it was several more years before these tramlines were closed permanently. Patronage of the trams, which had risen steadily up to the 1920s before levelling out, started to fall in 1928–1930. The Great Depression , brought about by the share market crash in October 1929, only exacerbated the Board's problems. A loss of £1,092 was recorded for 1931 and
3266-736: Is a shopping centre in Sydenham. It has 44 tenants, including the Academy Gold Cinema. In July 2020, Christchurch-based retail chain Smiths City moved its flagship store to The Colombo centre. There are many restaurants and takeaway food establishments on Colombo Street. There is a vibrant art district in Sydenham with at least five art galleries located in Sydenham. These include Chambers Art Gallery, Jonathan Smart Gallery, Fiksate Studio & Gallery, Form Gallery, City Art Depot, and NZ Art Broker. Buildings feature street art works and many public art events have been held in Sydenham. As part of
3408-454: Is almost entirely commercial and light industry. Sydenham West, North and South are primarily residential. Sydenham Central covers 1.21 km (0.47 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 240 as of June 2024, with a population density of 198 people per km . Sydenham Central had a population of 138 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 24 people (21.1%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 12 people (9.5%) since
3550-538: Is defined as the area centred on Cathedral Square and within the Four Avenues (Bealey Avenue, Fitzgerald Avenue, Moorhouse Avenue and Deans Avenue). It includes Hagley Park , and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens . The design of the central city with its grid pattern of streets, city squares and parkland was laid out by 1850. The central city was among the most heavily damaged areas of Christchurch in
3692-414: Is estimated to have cost the Board £3,000. Additional measures were taken by the Board to assist with the response to the health crisis. Twenty-three of its electric tramcars were converted to "inhalation chambers" and placed around the city; public health workers were given free passes; and all services were operated as open conveyances. A recession in 1921 slowed economic activity and caused patronage of
3834-641: Is recorded. The lowest temperature recorded in Christchurch was −9.4 °C (15 °F) in the suburb of Wigram in July 1945. On cold winter nights, the surrounding hills, clear skies, and frosty calm conditions often combine to form a stable inversion layer above the city that traps vehicle exhausts and smoke from domestic fires to cause smog. While not as bad as smog in Los Angeles or Mexico City, Christchurch smog has often exceeded World Health Organisation recommendations for air pollution. To limit air pollution,
3976-425: The 1989 local government reforms . The Board assumed control of the existing network of privately run tramways and converted these to electric operation whilst also extending the network. Economy measures resulted in several tram routes being converted to trolley bus and later diesel bus operation from the 1930s. The remaining tram routes were progressively closed in the decade following the end of World War II as
4118-531: The 2006 census . There were 57 households, comprising 81 males and 60 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.35 males per female. The median age was 30.9 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 15 people (10.9%) aged under 15 years, 48 (34.8%) aged 15 to 29, 72 (52.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 3 (2.2%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 67.4% European/ Pākehā , 13.0% Māori , 2.2% Pasifika , 21.7% Asian , and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
4260-542: The 2013 census , and an increase of 948 people (18.4%) since the 2006 census . There were 2,583 households, comprising 3,057 males and 3,045 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female, with 810 people (13.3%) aged under 15 years, 1,659 (27.2%) aged 15 to 29, 2,721 (44.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 909 (14.9%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 74.2% European/ Pākehā , 9.0% Māori , 4.4% Pasifika , 17.4% Asian , and 3.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
4402-481: The Ballantynes department store on the corner of Cashel and Colombo Streets unexpectedly burned out of control, resulting in New Zealand's worst fire disaster . Despite being initially thought to be under control, the fire suddenly spread to the upper floors and consumed the entire building within minutes. The speed of the fire trapped 41 staff members on the upper floor, all of whom were killed. The department store
Christchurch Transport Board - Misplaced Pages Continue
4544-525: The Canterbury Association on 27 March 1848. The reason it was chosen is not known with certainty, but the most likely reason is it was named after Christ Church, Oxford , the alma mater of many members of the association, including John Robert Godley . Christ Church college had similarities with the planned new city, including its own cathedral, the smallest in England. Other possibilities are that it
4686-572: The Halswell River begins north-west of the Port Hills on the periphery of Christchurch and flows to Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora . As a consequence of the flat terrain and spring-fed streams, large parts of the area now occupied by Christchurch City were originally a coastal wetland, with extensive swamp forests. Much of the forest was destroyed by fire, mostly likely by the earliest inhabitants, from around 1000 CE . When European settlers arrived in
4828-602: The bridle . Goods that were too heavy or bulky to be transported by pack horse over the Bridle Path were shipped by small sailing vessels some 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) by sea around the coast and up the Avon Heathcote Estuary to Ferrymead . Overturned boats at the Sumner bar were a frequent cause of new arrivals to the colony losing all their luggage. The Sumner Road was completed in 1857, though this did not alleviate
4970-529: The 1909–1910 period revenue was £105,024 with 12,500,000 fares sold. The organised labour movement had its first dealings with the Board following the formation of the Christchurch Tramway Worker's Union in 1906. The Board welcomed this move as a way of constructively resolving disputes and other small employment matters. Unlike the unions in Auckland and Wellington, the Christchurch union maintained
5112-481: The 19th century, the area was a mixture of swamp and tussock grasslands, with only remnant patches of forest. An early European visitor was William Barnard Rhodes , captain of the barque Australian, who climbed the Port Hills from Lyttelton Harbour in September 1836 and observed a large grassy plain with two small areas of forest. He reported that "All the land that I saw was swamp and mostly covered with water". Most of
5254-476: The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. Following the second earthquake, the Central City Red Zone was set up as an exclusion zone for public safety reasons, and many parts remained closed to the public until June 2013. A large number of heritage buildings were demolished following the earthquake, along with most of the city's high rise buildings . The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan was developed to lead
5396-522: The Army at Burnham , the Airforce at Wigram , and a contingent of American soldiers based in the city. Special tickets for soldiers were introduced and remained popular for many years. The Board also faced several challenges during the war years. Operating costs increased, including staff wages, repair and maintenance, electricity, and standing charges. Supplies of materials and spare parts were restricted, owing to
5538-821: The Blessed Sacrament was opened in February 1905. It was designed by Francis Petre with inspiration from the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in Paris. In 1906, the New Zealand International Exhibition opened in Hagley Park, which had over a million visitors. In 1908, the city experienced its first major fire which started at the Strange's Department Store and destroyed buildings in central Christchurch on High St, Cashel St and Lichfield Streets. Christchurch
5680-406: The Board and was compensated with £7,267. However, construction was behind schedule so the Board contracted William Hayward and Company to supply drivers and horses so it could start its own service. This arrangement lasted until the following year. The City and Suburban Tramway Company initially indicated to the Board that it would rather continue to provide its horse tram service to which the Board
5822-499: The Board purchased the assets and business of most of its private competitors following legislative changes in the mid-1920s, it acquired a motley collection of buses with which it was able to start services on new routes. Despite the high maintenance and inventory costs associated with these vehicles, they were used to establish permanent routes to Bryndwr (originally planned to be a tramline), Springfield Road, Pleasant Point (feeder service), Shirley and Avonside . Inter City Motors,
Christchurch Transport Board - Misplaced Pages Continue
5964-448: The Board's trams, which had in recent years generated healthy returns, to plateau at around 25,000,000 per annum, whereabouts it remained for much of the 1920s. It was during this period that advances were made in the development of buses that improved their reliability and introduced innovations such as the pneumatic tyre . The Board, which by this time had come to the realisation that it would not be able to afford to significantly extend
6106-414: The Board, upholding the dismissal of 40 of the striking union workers with the remainder of the available positions to be filled by the "volunteers" taken on to work during the strike. The result of the incident left much bitterness for many years to come. Following New Zealand's declaration of war in 1939, many changes to everyday life were brought about that affected the Board's business. Petrol rationing
6248-454: The Board. Some of the incumbent members warned voters about the possibility of a left-leaning Board putting the concerns of workers ahead of those of the travelling public, and succeeded in having only a single candidate from the opposing camp elected. All major tramline construction was completed by 1914 with the opening of the St. Martins line, after which no new lines were built. This was partly as
6390-534: The Chief Censor, making the footage illegal to possess and distribute within New Zealand. On 2 June 2020, the attacker pleaded guilty to multiple charges of murder, attempted murder, and terrorism. On 27 August, he was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole, the first time such a sentence was handed down in New Zealand. Christchurch is halfway along the east coast of the South Island , facing
6532-646: The Christchurch urban area , 3,310 people in the Lyttelton urban area, 1,720 people in the Diamond Harbour urban area, and 6,770 people in rural settlements and areas. Christchurch City had a population of 391,383 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 22,377 people (6.1%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 49,914 people (14.6%) since the 2013 census . There were 192,684 males, 196,557 females and 2,139 people of other genders in 150,909 dwellings. 4.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age
6674-606: The Christchurch area as Karaitiana , an anglicised version. "ChCh" is commonly used as an abbreviation of Christchurch . In New Zealand Sign Language , Christchurch is signed with two Cs. Prior to European occupation of the modern-day greater Christchurch area, the land was originally swampland with patchworks of marshland, grassland, scrub and some patches of tall forest of mostly kahikatea , mataī and tōtara . The inner coastal sand dunes were covered in hardier scrub bush, including akeake , taupata , tūmatakuru , ngaio , carmichaelia , and coprosma . Christchurch
6816-697: The English cricketer spent time in 2020 working with the Sydenham Cricket Club. The Christchurch South Police Station is located on Colombo Street in Beckenham. The previous police station for Sydenham was in Stanley Street, and was replaced by the Christchurch South station. It was opened in 2009 by the minister of police Judith Collins . The building cost $ 7.5 million to build. Sydenham School, on
6958-453: The Port Hill almost reaching Governors Bay in the south-west. Eleven houses were destroyed by fire and over 2,076 hectares (5,130 acres) of land was burned. In 2024, a second fire on the Port Hills burned 700 hectares (1,700 acres). The fire was also started under similarly suspicious circumstances. Lessons from the 2017 fire contributed to a more effective emergency response, and the fire
7100-463: The Road Districts of Spreydon , Avon, Heathcote , Riccarton , and Halswell , with provision made for the future addition of other areas. It was authorised to levy rates in its district for tramway purposes and to raise loans (initially up to £250,000 and later an additional £100,000 if required) subject to approval by plebiscite. An election was held the following year on 22 January 1903 to elect
7242-556: The South Pacific Ocean. With the exception of the Port Hills on Banks Peninsula to its south, the city sits on flat land, on average around 20 m (66 ft) above sea level. The present land mass of New Zealand split from the super continent of Gondwana around 85 million years ago. Prior to that time, mudstone and hardened sandstones commonly known as greywacke was deposited and deformed by tectonic movement. Following
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#17328591144017384-463: The Spreydon Line. The Christchurch Transport Board, like most other organisations around the country, was hit hard by the influenza epidemic of 1918 . Their employees were affected to the extent that services were cancelled on Sundays from 17 November and evening services after 20:15 were withdrawn from 19 November. These changes remained in effect until 8 December. The lost business during this time
7526-655: The Sydenham master plan, artwork was installed on Colombo street as a gateway into Sydenham. North of Brougham Street, there are many light industrial businesses located in Sydenham. Sydenham Park is public open space that also acts as the home ground for Sydenham Cricket Club, Sydenham Lawn Bowls Club, Sydenham Hockey Club and Sydenham Rugby Club. All four clubs have provided players for their respective New Zealand teams. These including Blair Hartland , Lee Germon , Rob Nicol , Chad Bowes and Stephen Fleming for cricket , Gary Lawson for Bowls, John Radovonich for hockey and Charlie Oliver for rugby union . Ben Stokes ,
7668-420: The borough amalgamated with the City of Christchurch and became a suburb. At that time Sydenham already had its own swimming-baths, fire-engine, cemetery and recreation grounds. The shopping precinct located on Colombo Street was badly affected by the 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes with many commercial buildings demolished. Approximately 35 sites lost buildings. The Christchurch City Council produced
7810-796: The census question. At the 2018 census, Europeans formed the majority in all sixteen wards, ranging from 57.7% in the Riccarton ward to 93.1% in the Banks Peninsula ward. The highest concentrations of Māori and Pasifika people were in the Linwood ward (18.3% and 9.0% respectively), followed by the Burwood ward (15.5% and 6.6%), while the highest concentrations of Asian people were in the Riccarton ward (34.9%) and Waimairi ward (26.7%). Christchurch urban area covers 294.43 km (113.68 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 403,300 as of June 2024, with
7952-477: The central city remaining relatively unchanged between 1914 and 1960, Christchurch grew rapidly during the 20th century in part due to the construction of many state houses . The earliest state houses were built in Sydenham in the 1900s, to house workers that were employed in nearby factories, with more houses built in 1909 near the Addington Railway Workshops . In November 1947, a basement fire at
8094-619: The chassis by the Board in two configurations, six with half-cabs and four with full-front windscreens. Once completed, they replaced trams on the Dallington route, and petrol buses on the Bryndwr and Springfield Road routes. With the diesel buses having proved to be a success, it was intended next to replace tram services on the Opawa – Fendalton and St. Martins routes, being the next two least viable tramlines. Though bus services did run to St. Martins for
8236-532: The city's stone Gothic Revival buildings by provincial architect Benjamin Mountfort date from around this period, including Canterbury University College , ChristChurch Cathedral , Canterbury Museum , and the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings , among others. Mountfort oversaw construction of a prison on Lincon Road in 1874, which operated until 1999. Christchurch experienced
8378-509: The contract for the Auckland system) in February but, despite public support for the proposal, declined as they were already in favour of municipal control. Despite generally favourable public opinion on bringing electric trams to Christchurch there were some objectors. These included the Royal Society who believed an electric tramway system would cause magnetic disturbances that would interfere with readings made at its Christchurch observatory;
8520-508: The corner of Brougham and Colombo Streets, was first opened in 1872 and known as Colombo Road School. The land cost one hundred pounds to purchase and a further 862 pounds to build the school. By March 1873, there were almost 400 children enrolled. The school was renamed Sydenham school in 1880. At one stage it was the largest school in New Zealand. The school was closed in December 2000. In 2021, There were no primary or secondary schools within
8662-488: The day of the Board election to decide on the issue of amalgamating the boroughs of Sydenham, Linwood, and St. Albans with the City of Christchurch. This proposal was easily carried and formally took effect from 1 April 1903. This was to prove fortuitous for the Tramway Board by making it easier to gain concessions for the construction of tramway lines. The proposal for the first loan was put before voters on 16 June 1903 and
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#17328591144018804-562: The day the Board commenced operation. It had been running at its own risk by special arrangement with the Board since September 1904 when many of its concessions had expired. The Board paid £23,910 for the company's plant. The Board entered into an agreement with the New Brighton Tramway Company whereby the company would remain in service until the Board was ready to assume control of the line. The company ceased operations on 1 August 1905 at which point it handed its assets over to
8946-489: The development of state housing saw rapid growth in the city's economy and population. Christchurch has strong cultural connections with its European elements and architectural identity. Christchurch is also home to a number of performing arts centres and academic institutions (including the University of Canterbury ). Christchurch has hosted numerous international sporting events, notably the 1974 British Commonwealth Games at
9088-526: The difficulty of importing them. Staff availability and retention became an issue with many away on active military service, resulting in the hiring of more women. Wartime regulations required the Board to reduce its bus services to conserve resources, and thus services were cut by a quarter. One of the more obvious effects of this decision was the St. Martins route, which had been converted to bus operation in January 1941,
9230-433: The earlier private tramway operators, the Board derived much of its income from the carriage of passengers attending major social events or on excursions to popular locations like the beach or racetrack. From the beginning it was the Board's intention to eventually operate all lines with electric trams and to retire the use of the horse and steam trams from public service as soon as practicable. Horses continued to be used for
9372-453: The eastern Canterbury plains and Christchurch area form an artesian aquifer with the interbedded fine sediments as an impermeable layer, or aquiclude. Water pressure from the artesian aquifer has led to the formation of numerous spring-fed streams. In Christchurch, the Avon River / Ōtākaro and Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River rivers have spring-fed sources in the western suburbs of Christchurch, and
9514-457: The eastern, southern and northern parts of the city were wet areas when European settlement began. Over the period since European settlement commenced, land drainage works have enabled development of land across the city. There are now only small remnants of wetland remaining, such as Riccarton Bush , Travis Wetland , Ōtukaikino wetland, and the Cashmere Valley. Christchurch Central City
9656-466: The electrical infrastructure had been completed. Steam motors were also used for shunting, to haul special purpose cars used for maintenance, and to haul special services on particularly busy peak days. The Board's early performance, while not outstanding, was still impressive. The first year of operation generated revenue of £43,109 with the sale of 5,000,000 fares. For the 1907–1908 fiscal year this had risen to £91,083 with 10,500,000 fares sold and for
9798-522: The exception of the Papanui– Cashmere route for which he favoured trolley buses. Christchurch Christchurch ( / ˈ k r aɪ s . tʃ ɜːr tʃ / ; Māori : Ōtautahi ) is the largest city in the South Island and the second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand . Christchurch has an urban population of 415,100, and a metropolitan population of over half
9940-463: The exception of the Port Hills, it is a relatively flat city, on an average around 20 m (66 ft) above sea level. Christchurch has a reputation for being an English city, with its architectural identity and nickname the 'Garden City' due to similarities with garden cities in England, but also has a historic Māori heritage. Christchurch has a temperate oceanic climate with regular moderate rainfall. The area of modern-day greater Christchurch
10082-487: The first Tramway Board. Fifteen candidates vied for eight positions in a contest that resulted in the election of well-known local politicians and businessmen. The following were elected: The Board's first meeting was held on 29 January at which various other officers were appointed. A second meeting was held on 13 February and shortly thereafter the Board was able to hire Hulbert Chamberlain, an American consultant with expertise in electric tramways. Voters were also asked on
10224-486: The first, of magnitude 5.8 according to the US Geological Survey, 26 km (16 mi) north-east of the city at a depth of 4.7 km (2.9 mi), at 13:58, followed by several aftershocks and another earthquake of magnitude 6.0 and similar location 80 minutes later. On 13 February 2017, two bush fires started on the Port Hills . These later merged and the single large wildfire extended down both sides of
10366-408: The functional urban area include: Christchurch has a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ) with a mild summer, cool winter, and regular moderate rainfall. It has mean daily maximum air temperatures of 22.6 °C (73 °F) in January and 10.9 °C (52 °F) in July. Summer in the city is mostly warm, but is often moderated by a sea breeze from the north-east. A notable feature of
10508-533: The funds for public works had been used up in constructing the road. Godley ordered that all work on the road should stop, leaving the steep foot and pack horse track that had been hastily constructed over the hill between the port and the Heathcote valley as the only land-access to the area of Christchurch. This track became known as the Bridle Path because the path was so steep that pack horses needed to be led by
10650-597: The highest 7.8 metres of the Christchurch Cathedral spire to collapse, many chimneys were broken, and the Durham Street Methodist Church had its stonework damaged. In November 1901, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake , centred near Cheviot , caused the spire on top of ChristChurch Cathedral to collapse again, but this time only the top 1.5 metres fell. On this occasion, it was rebuilt with timber and metal instead of stone. The Catholic Cathedral of
10792-501: The highest for the Christchurch metropolitan area was 42.4 °C (108 °F) recorded in Rangiora on the same day. In winter, subfreezing temperatures are common, with nights falling below 0 °C (32 °F) an average of 50 times a year at Christchurch Airport and 23 times a year in the city centre. There are on average 80 days of ground frost per year. Snowfall occurs on average three times per year, although in some years none
10934-536: The historic Waitaha iwi. Around c. 1500 the Kāti Māmoe iwi migrated south from the east coast of the North Island and invaded the Christchurch basin, ultimately gaining control of much of Canterbury. Kāi Tahu arrived a century later, and the two ultimately absorbed Waitaha through a mixture of conflict and marriage. For these early Māori, the area of Christchurch was an important foraging ground and
11076-404: The infrastructure required renewal or replacement. The last of the Board's trams were withdrawn in 1954, followed by its trolley buses in 1956. Its operations were fully converted to diesel buses in 1964 when the last of its older vehicles were replaced, including its petrol buses. Subsequent to its demise, the Board's bus operation was transferred to a Local Authority Trading Enterprise (LATE) and
11218-554: The line to combat the Inter City Motors service was not an option so the Board closed the line in 1927, but public pressure resulted in its reopening a short time later. The line continued to deteriorate to the point where replacement or closure was unavoidable. As the former could not be justified, the line was closed permanently beyond Marshland Road and, as the Board had not been impressed with petrol buses, services were replaced with trolley buses in 1931. The trolley buses followed
11360-536: The mid-nineteenth century. The First Four Ships were chartered by the Canterbury Association and brought the Canterbury Pilgrims from Britain to Lyttelton Harbour in 1850. It became a city by royal charter on 31 July 1856, making it officially the oldest established city in New Zealand. Christchurch was heavily industrialised in the early 20th century, with the opening of the Main South Line railway and
11502-548: The middle of Sydenham before connecting to the Christchurch Southern Motorway in the neighbouring suburb of Spreydon to the west. A number of suburbs are located to the south of Sydenham at the base of the Port Hills , including Somerfield , Beckenham and Cashmere . To the east, Sydenham is separated from neighbouring St Martins by the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River , and from Waltham by Waltham Road. Sydenham comprises four statistical areas. Sydenham Central
11644-411: The most destructive occurring on 22 February 2011 , in which 185 people were killed and thousands of buildings across the city suffered severe damage, with a few central city buildings collapsing, leading to ongoing recovery and rebuilding projects. Christchurch later became the site of a terrorist attack targeting two mosques on 15 March 2019. The name Christchurch was adopted at the first meeting of
11786-530: The mountains carried alluvial gravels over the area that is now the Canterbury Plains , covering the underlying rock to depths of between 200 and 600 metres. Continuing tectonic movement created faults that penetrate from the greywacke rock into the layers above. These faults remain beneath Canterbury and Christchurch. The glacial/interglacial cycles of the Quaternary Period led to multiple rises and falls in sea level. These sea level changes occurred over
11928-481: The municipal utilities who feared leakage from the return current of an electric tramway would corrode underground pipes through electrolysis; and the telephone authority who believed that the flow of electricity through such a system would interfere with earth currents in telephone circuits and thus render them useless. Solutions were found for all of the utilities concerns. The tramway conferences culminated in June 1902 with
12070-431: The next several days there were numerous skirmishes in which trams and tram staff were attacked. Tramcars and the depot were fortified, police accompanied trams on their rounds, and special constables were sworn in to assist the regular police. The strike ended on 10 May after public opinion turned against the striking workers. A special tribunal was established to deal with the matter. It eventually ruled largely in favour of
12212-411: The one competitor that survived the Board's attempts to eliminate competition, found success in challenging the Board on the New Brighton route. This was a serious problem for the Board's North Beach tramline, one of the least profitable in the system, and whose tortuous path was longer than Inter City Motors' more direct route. The poor state of the track meant that increasing the speed of trams running on
12354-447: The one-way system running through central Christchurch was established. The first two streets to be made one-way were Lichfield and St Asaph streets. They were followed by Barbadoes, Madras, Salisbury and Kilmore streets. A police station opened in 1973 on Hereford street, it was imploded and demolished in 2015. Christchurch hosted the 1974 British Commonwealth Games at the purpose-built Queen Elizabeth II Park . The sports complex
12496-414: The order failed, so the second trolley bus line was opened in 1934 to Marshland Road via Richmond. This enabled trams to be withdrawn from the remaining portion of the North Beach tramline, which followed the same route as the new Richmond trolley bus line. The diesel engine had become the power plant of choice for commercial transport operators by the mid-1930s, supplanting and effectively making obsolete
12638-414: The petrol engine for such purposes. The advantages of diesel buses prompted a policy change by the Board whereby it would use diesel buses on more lightly patronised routes while remaining committed to trams on major routes. To this end a loan of £20,000 was raised, enabling the Board to purchase 10 AEC diesel-powered chassis and acquire the business of Inter City Motors. The motor bodies were constructed on
12780-680: The place of Tautahi ' . It was adopted as the Māori name for the city in the 1930s. Ōtautahi precisely refers to a specific site by the Avon River / Ōtākaro in Central Christchurch. The site was a seasonal food-gathering place of Ngāi Tahu chief Te Pōtiki Tautahi. A different account claims the Tautahi in question was the son of the Port Levy chief Huikai. Prior to that, Ngāi Tahu generally referred to
12922-420: The population of workers in the city, which soon spread industrialisation to Sydenham . As central Christchurch grew, many cottages were demolished to make way for light-industrial and retail premises near Moorhouse Avenue as they expanded south. Many churches were also built to compensate for its growing Christian population. The population of Christchurch exceeded 100,000 for the first time in 1919. Despite
13064-418: The previous earthquake, the intensity and violence of the ground shaking was measured to be IX ( Violent ) , among the strongest ever recorded globally in an urban area, which killed 185 people. On 13 June 2011 Christchurch was again rocked by two more large aftershocks . This resulted in more liquefaction and building damage, but no more lives were lost. There were further earthquakes on 23 December 2011;
13206-511: The purpose-built Queen Elizabeth II Park . The city has been recognised as an Antarctic gateway since 1901, and is nowadays one of the five Antarctic gateway cities hosting Antarctic support bases for several nations. Christchurch is served by the Christchurch Airport in Harewood , the country's second-busiest airport. The city suffered a series of earthquakes from September 2010 , with
13348-569: The rebuild of the city centre, and featured 17 "anchor projects". There has been massive growth in the residential sector in the central city, particularly in the East Frame development. There are currently no legal definition of the boundaries of suburbs in Christchurch. The suburb boundaries are largely defined by third-party agencies, such as Statistics New Zealand and New Zealand Post , and may differ between agencies or sources. The earliest suburbs of Christchurch were laid out with streets in
13490-446: The regional council banned the use of open fires in the city in 2006. Christchurch City covers a land area of 1,415.15 km (546.39 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 415,100 as of June 2024, with a population density of 293 people per km . This is the second-most populous area administered by a single council in New Zealand, and the largest city in the South Island . The population comprises 403,300 people in
13632-406: The retail business of the central city moving out to urban shopping malls. These typically included large car parking areas to suit the growing shift towards personal car ownership, and away from public transport. Hornby became a significant industrial suburb in the 1960s, with industrial and residential premises expanding westwards. The Lyttelton road tunnel between Lyttelton and Christchurch
13774-567: The river near their farm after the Avon Water in South Lanarkshire , which rises in the hills near to where their grandfather's farm was located. The Canterbury Association 's Chief Surveyor, Captain Joseph Thomas , surveyed the area in 1849 and 1850. Working with his assistant, Edward Jollie , they named the various ports and settlements in the area, and chose a simple grid pattern for
13916-432: The sole operator in Christchurch. Despite the significant capital investment required for infrastructure renewal in the private tramway lines, and the limited utility of other assets for the Board's operation, none of the parties could reach agreement on a suitable price. In all three cases the amount of compensation was decided through arbitration . The Christchurch Tramway Company remained in operation until 16 May 1905,
14058-700: The south, the Sydenham Post Office and the Sydenham Heritage Church formed an entry into the strip shopping area along Colombo Street, but the church was controversially demolished shortly after the February earthquake. Nazareth House Chapel is located west of Sydenham Park and belongs to a retirement village. Blackheath Place are residential brick terrace houses that are rather uncommon in New Zealand. Three registered cottages are located in Shelley and Tennyson Streets. The Colombo shopping centre
14200-541: The split from Gondwana, during the period between 80 and 23 million years ago, the land became eroded and subsided below sea level. Marine and terrestrial sediments were deposited, leaving the greywacke as the oldest and deepest layers ( basement rock ). Around 11–6 million years ago, volcanic eruptions created the Banks Peninsula volcanic complex . Over the last two million years as the Southern Alps were rising, there were multiple periods of glaciation . Rivers flowing from
14342-668: The streets of Christchurch. The First Four Ships were chartered by the Canterbury Association and brought the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton Harbour in 1850. These sailing vessels were the Randolph , Charlotte Jane , Sir George Seymour , and Cressy . The journey took three to four months, and the Charlotte Jane was the first to arrive on 16 December 1850. The Canterbury Pilgrims had aspirations of building
14484-507: The time including supplementing the military pay of its staff on active duty and expressing a preference in hiring for returned servicemen and those who had attempted to enlist but were deemed unsuitable for military service. In 1917 the Board purchased its first bus and commenced a feeder service from the end of the Sockburn tram route to Templeton. The bus was a battery-powered vehicle with solid rubber tyres but proved to be so unreliable that it
14626-469: The town began to accelerate towards the end of the 1850s, with a period of rapid growth between 1857 and 1864. Christchurch became the first city in New Zealand by royal charter on 31 July 1856, and Henry Harper was consecrated by the archbishop of Canterbury as the local Anglican bishop. He arrived in Christchurch a few months later in December 1856. In 1862 the Christchurch City Council
14768-492: The tramway men was held on May Day at which it was decided to strike from the following Wednesday if the notices of dismissal were not rescinded. The Board warned its staff that if they refused to go to work on Wednesday that they would be dismissed, and also advertised for "volunteers" to apply for permanent positions with the Board. Despite offers of negotiation from the union, the Board remained implacable in its position. The strike started peacefully but soon turned violent. Over
14910-437: The tramway network, purchased some additional buses to provide services in areas not served by the trams. These developments also led to the rise of the private bus operators, which were able to provide services in areas not covered by the Board, and later to directly challenge the Board itself. After introducing a number of measures to directly combat the private operators, legislative means were employed to deal with them. After
15052-561: The transport problems. In 1858 the provincial superintendent William Sefton Moorhouse announced that a tunnel would be dug between Lyttelton and Christchurch. While the tunnel was under construction, New Zealand's first public railway line, the Ferrymead Railway , opened from Ferrymead to Christchurch in 1863. Between 1853 and 1876 Christchurch was the administrative seat of the Province of Canterbury . While slow at first, growth in
15194-468: The turn of the century the Christchurch City Council was strongly in favour of bringing the tramways under municipal control but only on its own terms. This ignited suspicion amongst Christchurch City's neighbouring boroughs – through whose territory such a system would have to be built even if only to replace the existing private network – that they would have no control over the running of such
15336-488: The union refused to agree to these terms, the Board exploited a loophole in the industrial award, dismissing its entire traffic staff and then inviting them to apply for new positions with the new conditions. The matter went to arbitration at which the magistrate sided with the union and set aside the changes for a period of 12 months. Seeking other ways to save money, the Board obtained permission in November 1931 to have only
15478-418: The various local bodies concerned for an extension of these concessions, both to enable it to continue its business and to provide some certainty for future investment. With public sentiment in favour of electrification , and the parlous financial state of the private tramway companies making it unlikely that they would be able to provide such a service, the councils were opposed to renewing the concessions. By
15620-474: The war owing to the shortage of diesel vehicles. This enabled the commencement of new services in 1946 to areas not covered by the tramway network including Mount Pleasant , Somerfield , Creyke Road, Huntsbury , Wharenui, and Sanatorium on the Cashmere Hills. Also, buses replaced trams for the second – and final – time on the St. Martins route. The resignation of general manager Hedley Jarman in October 1946
15762-427: The weather is the nor'wester , a hot föhn wind that occasionally reaches storm force, causing widespread minor damage to property. Like many cities, Christchurch experiences an urban heat island effect; temperatures are slightly higher within the inner-city regions compared to the surrounding countryside. The highest temperature recorded in Christchurch was 41.6 °C (106.9 °F) on 7 February 1973, however
15904-483: The withdrawal of the fifth and sixth cars in the procession, the remaining cars proceeded to their destination where an opening day function was held at the Royal Café. Timetabled services began the following day with Board engineer Hulbert Chamberlain serving as motorman on the first tram. Their novelty quickly made the trams popular with the public causing patronage to rise to "unprecedented and unexpected" levels. As with
16046-642: Was $ 40,400, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 35,010 people (10.7%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 163,554 (50.1%) people were employed full-time, 47,463 (14.5%) were part-time, and 8,913 (2.7%) were unemployed. People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 75.9% European ( Pākehā ); 11.2% Māori ; 4.3% Pasifika ; 17.1% Asian ; 1.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
16188-563: Was 31.6, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 49.1% had no religion, 35.1% were Christian , 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs , 3.8% were Hindu , 1.0% were Muslim , 1.3% were Buddhist and 4.0% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 1,371 (25.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 816 (15.4%) people had no formal qualifications. 588 people (11.1%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
16330-546: Was 34.8, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 50.0% had no religion, 32.6% were Christian , 2.2% were Buddhist and 4.3% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 27 (22.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 6 (4.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 42,100, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 18 people (14.6%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
16472-449: Was 37.5 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 64,722 people (16.5%) aged under 15 years, 84,633 (21.6%) aged 15 to 29, 178,113 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 63,912 (16.3%) aged 65 or older. Of those at least 15 years old, 70,764 (21.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 160,440 (49.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 73,659 (22.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income
16614-475: Was actually a combination of seven or eight different buildings, joined to form a "perplexing maze" with no sprinklers or alarm system. A subsequent Royal commission of enquiry resulted in changes to the building code to improve fire safety. Thousands of mourners, including the Prime Minister, attended a mass funeral in the aftermath. During the 1960s Christchurch experienced urban sprawl , with much of
16756-477: Was an important food source for local iwi and hapū , the estuary providing food such as, flounder and shellfish. Kaiapoi Pā was the most important trading area, and the centre of a thriving economy. The pā was located at the nexus of the major rivers of Christchurch, the Avon River / Ōtākaro, Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River and the Styx River . It was the likely richest eel fishery in the country at that time. Sugar
16898-544: Was carried with 89.4% in favour and 10.6% against. Later that year the tramway district was expanded to include the Riccarton – Sockburn sub-district, resulting in a ninth board position being created, which was filled by John Joseph Dougall . A new loan of £55,000 was also approved. As the private tramway companies were operating under concessions that were due to expire after the Board intended to begin operation, it realised it would have to compensate these companies to become
17040-454: Was established. By 1874, Christchurch was New Zealand's fourth-largest city with a population of 14,270 residents. Between 1871 and 1876 nearly 20,000 immigrants arrived in Canterbury, and through the 1880s frozen meat joined wool as a primary export. The last decades of the nineteenth-century were a period of significant growth for the city, despite the national economic depression. Many of
17182-402: Was first inhabited by the historic Māori iwi Waitaha in the mid-thirteenth century. Waitaha, who occupied the swamplands with patchworks of marshland , were invaded by Kāti Māmoe in the sixteenth century, and then were absorbed by Kāi Tahu a century later. Ōtautahi was inhabited seasonally, and a major trading centre was established at Kaiapoi Pā . British colonial settlement began in
17324-446: Was followed by the appointment of John Fardell as his replacement. Fardell, having previously been employed at Reading Corporation Transport where he was involved in the replacement of trams with trolleybuses , wasted little time in making his views known on the direction of public transport in Christchurch. He was in favour of the replacement of trams and trolley buses as they reached the end of their useful lives with diesel buses, with
17466-455: Was formed to investigate the future of the tramway system and reported back in July 1946 that as each line reached the end of its useful life it should be closed and replaced with buses. Providing services to new areas had become a priority, especially as the city was growing beyond the extent of the tramway network. As an earlier attempt to acquire diesel buses had been thwarted by the war, the Board had to settle for purchasing petrol buses after
17608-431: Was growing over the future of the trams. The Board also had to contend with a more aggressive union movement, and a council that was seeking legislative authority to enable it to assume control of the tramway. This was to be one of many occasions on which it was suggested, or an attempt was made, to have the Board assimilated by the City Council or controlled by a Council-affiliated Metropolitan Board of Works. A committee
17750-419: Was heavily industrialised in the early 20th century, particularly the suburbs of Woolston and Addington , with Woolston housing a large amount of New Zealand's rubber industry. Many warehouses, factories and large premises of railway workshops were built along the Main South Line . There was notable development of breweries, flour mills , and light-commercial in Christchurch. This significantly increased
17892-480: Was immediately introduced, and this combined with shortages of materials such as rubber significantly affected the use of one of the trams greatest competitors: the private motorcar. This prompted an unprecedented boost to patronage of the tramways, often leading to severe overcrowding, and significantly increased the Board's revenue. Another factor in the Board's favour during this time was the large number of military personnel stationed in and around Christchurch, from
18034-401: Was just one of several service providers in Christchurch following deregulation in mid-1991. The remnants of the Board survive today as the Christchurch City Council -owned Red Bus , the name by which it has been known since 1991. From 1880 a series of tramway routes had been constructed and operated by private companies using both horse and steam as motive power. While these services heralded
18176-432: Was more-quickly contained. On 15 March 2019, fifty-one people died from two consecutive mass shootings at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre by an Australian white supremacist . Forty others were injured. The attacks have been described by then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as "one of New Zealand's darkest days". Just days after the attacks the live-streamed footage became classified as objectionable by
18318-457: Was named for Christchurch, Dorset , or for Canterbury Cathedral . Many of the early colonists did not like the name, preferring instead the name Lyttelton, but the Colonists' Council resolved to stick with the name of Christchurch in 1851, because it had been used by surveyors and distinguished the settlement from the port. The Māori name for modern-day Christchurch is Ōtautahi , meaning '
18460-540: Was not agreeable. It ceased operations in November 1906 when it was taken over by the Board and compensated with £7,982. The City Council received compensation of £1,200 from the Board for its Corporation Line. The Tramway Board officially commenced operations on 5 June 1905 when an official party departed the Falsgrave Street car depot aboard a convoy of seven trams with double-decker trailers at front and rear bound for Papanui . After an accident en route necessitated
18602-465: Was open in 1973, one year before the games. On Saturday, 4 September 2010, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Christchurch and the central Canterbury region at 4:35 am. With its hypocentre near Darfield , west of the city at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), it caused widespread damage to the city and minor injuries, but no direct fatalities. This was followed by the Boxing Day earthquake
18744-485: Was opened in 1964. Television broadcasts began in Christchurch on 1 June 1961 with the launch of channel CHTV3, making Christchurch the second New Zealand city to receive regular television broadcasts. The channel initially broadcast from a 10-kilowatt transmitter atop the Gloucester Street studios until it switched to the newly built 100-kilowatt Sugarloaf transmitter in the Port Hills on 28 August 1965. In 1969,
18886-471: Was originally split between the Heathcote and Spreydon road districts instead of being a locality of its own right. The name Sydenham originally referred only to "Sydenham House", a crockery and china shop in the area so named by its owner, Charles Prince, after the north-west Kent town of Sydenham , which is now a London suburb within the London Borough of Lewisham . At a meeting regarding the formation of
19028-623: Was produced from plantations of cabbage trees . European settlement of the Canterbury Region was largely influenced by brothers William and John Deans in 1843. The Deans farm located in Riccarton Bush was a crucial factor in the decision of where to place the settlement of Christchurch, as it proved that the swampy ground could be farmed. The Deans brothers named their farm after their former parish in Ayrshire , Scotland; they also named
19170-561: Was purchased by the New Zealand Government from the Christchurch City Council for $ 4.5 million dollars in 2015. This was then sold to Fletchers who built 76 terrace style houses on the site and named the development "350 Colombo". Sydenham is located near the centre of Christchurch, and is separated from the central city by the South Island Main Trunk Railway and Moorhouse Avenue. State Highway 76 runs through
19312-413: Was raised and many of these works were carried out but by the time the Board could seriously consider the issue of the new routes it discovered that post-war inflation had dramatically increased the cost of laying tramlines. As a consequence only two of the proposed seven routes were actually constructed, those being a line along Lichfield Street to connect Oxford Terrace to Colombo Street and an extension of
19454-411: Was reactivated as a tram route in July 1942, despite the poor condition of the track. The end of the war heralded one of the most turbulent periods in the Board's history. Years of deferred maintenance, heavy usage during the war years, and a lack of skilled staff, materials, and spare parts had left the tramway in poor condition. A significant investment was required to renew the system but uncertainty
19596-426: Was rebuilt and converted to use a petrol engine . It was later joined by another petrol-powered bus. A grand plan for the modernisation and improvement of the tramway system was presented to the Board in 1919. It proposed borrowing £340,000 for a series of improvements including the acquisition of new rolling stock, upgraded workshops, double-tracking and new passing loops, and new routes and route extensions. The loan
19738-473: Was rich in birdlife prior to European colonisation, as they burned down forests and introduced predators, it led to local extinction of native birds. Evidence of human activity in the area begins in approximately 1250 C.E., with evidence of prolonged occupation beginning no later than 1350 AD. These first occupants lived in coastal caves around modern-day Sumner , and preyed upon local species of moa . The early settlers and their descendants became known as
19880-557: Was spoken by 95.8%, Māori language by 2.4%, Samoan by 1.3% and other languages by 16.8%. No language could be spoken by 2.1% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 27.8, compared with 28.8% nationally. Religious affiliations were 31.6% Christian , 2.1% Hindu , 1.3% Islam , 0.4% Māori religious beliefs , 1.0% Buddhist , 0.5% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 2.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.9%, and 6.3% of people did not answer
20022-465: Was that 2,838 (53.6%) people were employed full-time, 669 (12.6%) were part-time, and 204 (3.9%) were unemployed. Sydenham has a number of heritage buildings registered by Heritage New Zealand , with some already lost or to be lost due to the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake . The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Woolstore in Durham Street is the only Category I heritage building. Coming from
20164-422: Was that 93 (75.6%) people were employed full-time, 9 (7.3%) were part-time, and 3 (2.4%) were unemployed. The residential areas of Sydenham cover 1.52 km (0.59 sq mi). They have an estimated population of 6,670 as of June 2024, with a population density of 4,388 people per km . The residential areas had a population of 6,105 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 549 people (9.9%) since
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