In the red zone

[Splitpin]

Took these this morning .... this is where i spend 8-10 hours a day.

Not bad progress ....i mean, its only been almost 3 years since the damage you can see was done All of this will be gone next year.
The smell in that cafe was not good.... in fact the whole cbd is a dirty smelly dusty hole ... but it pays the rent.















Spotted a mutant cat hunting a rather large rat close to the point where the last shot was taken......charming place.

[Ian Warren]

All that looks more like out of a movie , more like a BBC TV show of the late 70s early 1980s called SURVIVOR

[Charl]

You do have to pinch yourself, don't you?
I mean, this is Christchurch, not some remote disaster zone...

Mind you, at least it doesn't glow in the dark.
I recall some latter-day shots of Chernobyl environs, where the animals have moved in.
They don't come equipped with Geiger counters, but are surviving; who knows what interesting mutations are happening there?

Yesterday's out-of-the-blue tornado around here makes you realise we have probably been living in pretty benign times - shouldn't get too complacent I guess.

[IslandBoy77]

So Marty, what's the story with the contents of these buildings? Does someone go thru each building & take out all the furniture & fittings? If yes, where does it all go? If no, does that mean it all just gets scooped up in a pile when the building comes down & get dumped in some landfill? I don't envy your work - it must be extra hard with it being "your" city you have to help take apart. I imagine there could be days where emotions run close to the surface...

[Naki]

Ha I thought was some rejects from this months comp!....still heaps work to do I see...have the same questions as Islandboy..

[Splitpin]

"I mean, this is Christchurch, not some remote disaster zone..." Charl , i do that every morning

@ Pete and Naki....Once the tennant or owner has removed what they want (if possible), the area (floor or building) is handed over to the strip out company....anything left is theirs to do with what they want.
The comapany Im with (Project managers) will often negotiate with the demo people for some of the stuff and it go's to local schools, ie , computers , desks, book cases etc.

All documents are destroyed unless otherwise instructed.

Now and then we come across personal items in the "wreckage" and we try hard to get this back to the owner ....family photos etc ....but some people just dont want anything at all.
All the rest is dumped.
Some buildings come under the "dirty demo" banner, these are just too dangerous to go into, and everything is trashed.


@Ian .... pete Jackson could use this a set for another Madmax movie , or as you said a "survivors" remake


I'll put a couple more shots on here tonight .

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Splitpin @ Dec 7 2012,6:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

@Ian .... pete Jackson could use this a set for another Madmax movie , or as you said a "survivors" remake

It is arie scary , look at this small corner them compare it with those earlier aerial posted photos .... i cannot even determine were i am !

[AdrianPetford]

I don't envy you, Marty. I found the whole experience of seeing the red zone very unsettling last year and that was just looking over the cordon. The thing which has stuck in my mind ever since is how the traffic lights constantly flash amber, on and off. Glad I was able to visit the brilliant Cashel Street restart mall right afterwards, an ingenious new hope on the edge of the wreckage.

Two of the people people tragically lost in the Auckland tornado yesterday were building what will be my niece's school in a few years' time and the whole thing happened about five miles from my temporary HQ when over in NZ. Really brings it home to you how mortal we are and how we should always be grateful for what we have.

Stay safe, mate.


Ade

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Dec 7 2012,7:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is arie scary , look at this small corner them compare it with those earlier aerial posted photos .... i cannot even determine were i am !

Ian, all those shots are taken on the square side of oxford tce ..... the demo building is /was the Price waterhouse tower (19 or so floors) , the structure at the rear is the copthorne central hotel which will come down as well.

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (AdrianPetford @ Dec 8 2012,1:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't envy you, Marty. I found the whole experience of seeing the red zone very unsettling last year and that was just looking over the cordon. The thing which has stuck in my mind ever since is how the traffic lights constantly flash amber, on and off. Glad I was able to visit the brilliant Cashel Street restart mall right afterwards, an ingenious new hope on the edge of the wreckage.

Two of the people people tragically lost in the Auckland tornado yesterday were building what will be my niece's school in a few years' time and the whole thing happened about five miles from my temporary HQ when over in NZ. Really brings it home to you how mortal we are and how we should always be grateful for what we have.

Stay safe, mate.


Ade

Ade , thanks for looking .... just thought people might be interested in whats going on in there.
Trust me re the safe thing.....its 110% on everyones minds in there.