CCC MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday 27 October, 2010

Heritage celebrations – the exotic and the heroic

Two upcoming Beca Heritage Week events will provide a unique behind-the-scenes insight into Christchurch’s history.

One of which will see over two dozen fire appliances from throughout the decades paraded from the Central Fire Station in Kilmore Street to Cathedral Square this Saturday (30 October) as part of the Christchurch Fire Service 150-year anniversary. The oldest to be turned out will be an 1886 Johnston fire escape ladder known as the ‘Vulcan’ and a 1901 steam pump. There will also be uniforms and equipment from the different periods. 

The public will have a chance to try their hand at some of the physical competency tests, watch the kitchen fire demonstrator and share their stories and memories with past and present members of the Fire Service.

A documentary about the Christchurch Fire Service will premiere in ChristChurch Cathedral during the celebrations. Called Always Ready: Semper Paratus, the documentary is based on the book written by local fire fighter Tony Phillips. It is a mix of interviews, photos and footage of the Christchurch Fire Brigade engaging in their daily duties. The documentary is intended to give audiences a glimpse into the life of a fire fighter, while highlighting the significant changes that have taken place over the past 150 years.

The second event will also highlight an interesting part of this city’s history. Escape from the Zoo is a theatrical event written by Jared Corbin of the Outwits exploring the acclimatisation of wild and exotic animals to Canterbury in the 1860s.

The Canterbury Acclimatisation Society used a site near the band rotunda for housing, acclimatising and breeding animals to be liberated into Canterbury, including monkeys, emus, parrots, deer, and a Canadian bear. The show runs from Thursday 28 to Saturday 30 October at the Botanic Gardens.

Carolyn Ingles, Christchurch City Council Programme Manager Liveable City, says the events during Beca Heritage Week highlight the key moments in the lives of those who helped make Christchurch what it is today.

“It gives us an entertaining glimpse into their lives, while showing the significant changes they contributed over the years,” she says. “It is great to see local people exploring in detail what life was like for our ancestors, and bringing them to life for contemporary audiences.”

For more information visit www.heritageweek.co.nz

- Ends –

© Scoop Media