An aerial photograph looking over the demolished site of the QE II stadium.
Explosives have been shaking Christchurch's QE2 sports centre today to simulate a magnitude 4 earthquake.
The Canterbury earthquakes damaged the facility beyond use, and almost six years after it was demolished, a new facility known as Taiora QE2 has risen from the rubble.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Xavier Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of the International Paralympic Committee, inspecting QE2 after the quake for the upcoming IPC Athletics World Champs".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Xavier Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of the International Paralympic Committee, inspecting QE2 after the quake for the upcoming IPC Athletics World Champs".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Xavier Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of the International Paralympic Committee, inspecting QE2 after the quake for the upcoming IPC Athletics World Champs".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Xavier Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer of the International Paralympic Committee, inspecting QE2 after the quake for the upcoming IPC Athletics World Champs".
Liquefaction around QEII stadium. The photographer comments, "A Sunday afternoon ride to New Brighton, then back via Aranui, Wainoni, Dallington, and Richmond. Not a cheerful experience. QE2 stadium. View from Frosts Rd".
Hundreds of children and 12 schools have pre-registered for swimming lessons at Christchurch's new Taiora QE2 sports centre, which opens today. The Canterbury earthquakes damaged the complex beyond repair, and almost six years after it was demolished, a new QE2 has risen from rubble - admittedly smaller and without the athletics track the old one was so well known for. Schools in particular are welcoming today's opening, after having to spend big bucks on transport to get their students to pools for lessons since the quakes. Logan Church reports.
Liquefaction around QEII stadium. The photographer comments, "A Sunday afternoon ride to New Brighton, then back via Aranui, Wainoni, Dallington, and Richmond. Not a cheerful experience. QE2 stadium. From Frosts Rd, looking along Robin Tait Drive - the stadium looks OK from this distance, though the land has sunk and become waterlogged".
A large sign outside QEII stadium advertising a IPC Athletics World Championships event 21-30 January 2011. The photographer comments, "A Sunday afternoon ride to New Brighton, then back via Aranui, Wainoni, Dallington, and Richmond. Not a cheerful experience. QE2 sign. This must have still been in place on Feb 22, 2011. It advertises an athletics meet three weeks earlier".
One of many disabled carparks outside what used to be one of the great sporting complexes in New Zealand. The Queen Elizabeth II Park complex in north-east Christchurch was built initially for the 1974 Commonwealth Games and was used for track and field and the adjoining pool complex had swimming and diving. It was built on an area that was used...