CERA Community Forum Backs the Vision And Release of The CCDU Blueprint

The Forum was set up in June 2011 to enable a range of parties to have a voice to engage with Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee. Over the past year the forum has provided the Minister and officials with information and advice on earthquake recovery matters.
CERA Community Forum acknowledges the release of the new plan for Christchurch’s central city as a major forward step in the positive rebuilding of our region.

The Forum consists of 38 members from a wide cross-section of the Canterbury community representing business, sports, arts, cultural and ethnic interests, as well as residents associations and groups.

The Forum has been actively engaged in the new plan having received a briefing and the opportunity to feedback from the different areas of expertise and representation.
The CCDU blueprint is being celebrated by the Forum as an innovative and bold vision for the future of the central city with, many positive aspects contained within it.
The plan is a positive start to the recovery process in that it gives clear direction for the new city. It sets in motion some clear outcomes and a positive foundation for the recovery.

The Forum believes that the plan broadly takes into account the wishes and desires of the community as expressed in the community engagement sessions.

The Forum believes that the focus should not be on what’s wrong with the plan rather it should acknowledge its vision. It should also have the flexibility to include community needs as the recovery progresses.

The business community and interested investors finally have a broad-brush urban plan that recognizes a way forward that can provide confidence to reinvest capital back into the central city.

The Forum recognizes the need for greater Christchurch community to get behind this plan and begin the movement towards recovery together and in a coordinated and consistent manner.

There will be parts various interested parties will acknowledge benefits the community. However like any wide ranging plan there will always be room to add value to fulfil the vision of the plan. As details of the plan emerge the Forum look forward to being involved in its implementation and refinement.

Forum Chair Trevor McIntyre says “there has been a lot of time taken for, consultation and planning, this major step forward represents a milestone for us all as a community to stand behind the Blueprint to give credence and mobility to its delivery”.

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