Lovely days!
The sun is shining on Christchurch at the moment. We are being woken up by sometimes foggy and overcast mornings, that once cleared, turn out to be the most glorious days….sunny and warm. Sunny days are good for our well-being and lift our spirits, all great for those struggling to get on with some normality or the” new normal” as the powers that be, keep talking about.
Some sports clubs and venues have re-opened for people to participate once again in their gyms and swimming pools. This is great as we start to head into autumn and gives us something to do again. With many recreational facilities still unable to operate, those that are open are busy.
Cafes and businesses in the suburbs are having a busy time also, as the CBD remains in lock-down and inaccessible to the general public and often the business owners themselves.
We are all being told that the city will be rebuilt and we know it will but we don’t have a good idea of when and where the work will begin! Will the CBD be first to be rebuilt or will the CERA (Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority) start in the suburbs and get people back into their homes as promptly as possible. It’s a bit like the chicken and the egg story. Which one comes first? We need businesses to be operational to allow them to employ people and give them job security and income so they can then support their families and themselves. This in turn provides cash flow for our economy in the form of taxes and spending.But we also need homes to be rebuilt to house people so they can comfortably get on with working and sheltering their families and of course themselves and then start spending. It’s not an easy answer but I do believe we must get our businesses up and running pronto, to enable the domino effect to kick in.
We have a long slow road ahead of us, as a country, to recovery but we are getting amazing support from not only New Zealand but from many, many people and countries around the world and we really appreciate everyone’s contributions and help.
It will be a very interesting five years to come, as we all get on with the job of rebuilding our broken city and lives.It’s amazing what a few seconds can do to your world! Kia Kaha Christchurch!
