2009. Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch

2009. Gayhurst Rd Bridge downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Avonside Dr right.

Near Gayhurst Rd Bridge I parked my car on Locksley Ave, as I wanted to walk downriver to New Brighton Rd and Avondale Rd Bridge, then return upriver via Avonside Dr and Kerrs Reach.

While I coolpixed Avon River from Gayhurst Rd bridge, I saw a man on his bike being pulled along by his leashed pitbull terrier through Gayhurst Rd / Avonside Dr intersection. The dog looked fit, the madman helmetless.


2009. Locksley Ave view of Avon River & Avonside Dr, Christchurch, downriver of Gayhurst Rd Bridge. During the 4 Sept 2010 quake Locksley Ave & Avonside Dr were badly damaged


2009. Locksley Ave downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Ave left, Avonside Dr right. During the 4 Sept 2010 quake Locksley Ave & Avonside Dr were badly damaged


2009. Locksley Ave upriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Ave right, Avonside Dr left, both roads badly damaged during the 4 Sept 2010 quake

By Locksley Ave I walked downriver on a muddy path past floating ducks and Canada geese. On the riverbank I passed grey gulls, willows, alders, birches and an Oregon pine. Near Snell Pl by a bend in the river, I passed native plantings and a concrete footbridge between Locksley Ave and Avonside Dr. Hanging below the footbridge a wooden sign stated: 9 FOOT CLEARANCE AT HIGH TIDE.


2009. Locksley Ave downriver view of Concrete Footbridge over Avon River to Avonside Dr right, Christchurch. Both roads were badly damaged during the 4 Sept 2010 quake


2009. Near Kerrs Reach, upriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Avonside Dr & Avon Park soccer field left, Locksley Ave right, both roads were badly damaged during the 4 Sept 2010 quake

Along a tarsealed cycle track I walked through wintry Christchurch suburbia, while admiring bare branches of deciduous trees, looking like giant leaf skeletons against a louring sky. After another riverbend the Avon widened to about 45 m into Kerrs Reach, a straight Avon length where rowing clubs stood on the opposite bank.


2009. Locksley Ave downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Left to right: Canterbury Rowing Club; Union Rowing Club, Avon Rowing Club. During the 4 Sept 2010 quake, Union Rowing club tilted into liquefaction ooze.  The 22.02.11 quake trashed Avon Rowing Club. Both clubs were demolished & rebuilt


2009. Locksley Ave downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Christ's College Rowing left, Arawa Canoe Club right. Christ's College Rowing was trashed by the 22.02.11 quake. The club was demolished & rebuilt


2009. Locksley Ave upriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Rowing Clubs, Christchurch

Beside Kerrs Reach below willows, I passed a woman pushing a pram and walking her leashed, black Staffordshire terrier. Two male kayakers paddled downriver past ducks, Canada geese and black swans to Christ's College Rowing boatshed.


2009. Locksley Ave tarsealed track view of downriver Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Locksley Ave downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch

I walked along cold Kerrs Reach to New Brighton Rd. A lady passed me walking her Jack Russel. We walked in winter gear: tracksuits, beanies, gloves. I wore my green wind-cheating hoody too. A cyclist passed, the only cyclist on the cold, tarsealed cycle-track that wintry Saturday afternoon.


2009. Locksley Ave stormwater outlet into Kerrs Reach, downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Locksley Ave downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. New Brighton Rd ahead, Avonside Dr right. The roads were badly damaged during the 2010-2011 quakes

Beside the Avon I passed a concrete and padlocked galvanized-iron-grilled stormwater outlet. Where Locksley Ave joined New Brighton Rd, I left the tarsealed track and strolled a muddy path beside busy New Brighton Rd on my left and by a big bend in Kerrs Reach on my right.


2009. New Brighton Rd view of World Wars Monument to "Burwood Boys," Burwood School, Christchurch, cnr New Brighton Rd & Lake Terrace Rd


2009. World Wars & Post World War 11 Conflicts Monument, Burwood School, New Brighton Rd, Christchurch


2009. Burwood School World Wars Monument view of New Brighton Rd, upriver Avon River & cloudy Port Hills, Christchurch

By Burwood School, I crossed New Brighton Rd to see the World War monuments to "Burwood Boys." Behind the grey granite obelisk stood two wooden benches flanked by creamy Oamaru stone pillars. One pillar had a bronze plaque commemorating World Wars. On the other pillar a bronze plaque stated:

IN MEMORY
OF THOSE WHO
FELL IN ALL POST
WORLD WAR 11
CONFLICTS


2009. Entrance to All Saints Burwood Cemetery, New Brighton Rd, Christchurch

It was like other war monuments I'd seen in Canterbury: old monuments revamped with new bits. Next to Burwood School a cemetery board stated:

ALL SAINTS BURWOOD
HISTORIC CEMETERY
EST 1877
MAINTAINED BY VOLUNTEERS
PLEASE METAL OR PLASTIC FLOWER CONTAINERS ONLY


2009. New Brighton Rd downriver view of Avondale Rd Bridge over Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. Avondale Rd Bridge was badly damaged in the 22.02.11 quake with tilted abutments.


2009. Avondale Rd Bridge upriver view of Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. New Brighton Rd right


2009. Avonside Dr "Whitebait Spawning" info Board, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Avonside Dr downriver view of Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. New Brighton Rd left

Eight Canada geese flew overhead in V formation while I crossed Avondale Rd Bridge to the end of Avonside Dr. On Avon riverbank I passed two "whitebait spawning" info boards, like a board I'd seen on Clarendon Tce by Heathcote River.

Avoiding the tarsealed track I walked the clay path upriver, which was easier on my feet. A cold southerly blew in my face, as it had rained for days with southerly clouds still obscuring the Port Hills.


2009. Avonside Dr view of black swans on Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch


2009. Avonside Dr upriver view of Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. Locksley Ave right


2009. Avonside Dr upriver view Avon River Gulls, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. Locksley Ave right


2009. Avonside Dr upriver view of litter-free Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. Locksley Ave right

I coolpixed begging black swans, which boldly left Avon River, looking for food, then slid back when they realized I had none. While I admired two tree stumps carved into Avonside chairs, two male kayakers paddled upriver.


2009. Avonside Dr upriver view of carved stump Seats beside Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Ave right


2009. Avonside Dr upriver view of waterfowl near Kerrs Reach rowing clubhouses, Avon River. Locksley Ave right. Port Hills backdrop, Christchurch


2009. Avon River meander by Christ's College Rowing boatshed, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Christ's College Rowing was trashed by the 22.02.11 quake, demolished & rebuilt


2009. Concrete footbridge over Avon River meander & downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Avonside Dr ahead

By Christ's College Rowing boatshed, I crossed a concrete footbridge over an old Avon horseshoe meander, which included Porritt Park hockey fields. Between Christ's College Rowing and Arawa Canoe Club I read a "RULES OF THE RIVER" info board:

"Welcome to the Avon River

For your safety the following rules have been devised as a special case for water craft using the Avon River from Kerrs Reach to the Avon / Heathcote Estuary. These rules are a summary of Environment Canterbury Navigation Safety Bylaws.


2009. Downriver view of a Kerrs Reach boat ramp between Arawa Canoe Club & Christ's College Rowing, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Rules of the River info board by Arawa Canoe Club, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch

* Rowers and large paddled craft eg. 6 man out-rigger, dragon boats and surf boats travel upstream and downstream on the right of the river.
* Small paddled craft eg. kayaks and 2 man out-riggers travel upstream and downstream on the left side of the river.
* When passing head on, small paddled craft move to the bank, larger craft move to the centre.
* Overtaking vessels give way.
* Vessels moving downstream give way to those travelling upstream.
* If in doubt STOP.
* If a collision seems imminent, shout a warning to the crew of the other boat...


2009. Downriver view of a boat ramp & pontoon, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Upriver view of pontoons & boat ramps, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Union Rowing Club & Avon Rowing Club left. Union Rowing Club tilted into liquefaction ooze during the 4 Sept 2010 quake. Avon Rowing Club was trashed by the 22.02.11 quake. Both clubs were demolished & rebuilt

GUIDLINES FOR USE OF FACILITIES

* The floating pontoons are only to be used to launch and retrieve boats.
* The pontoons are for everyone's use but rowing and large two or more person craft have priority for use over small single person vessels.
* There is to be no fishing (including white-baiting) from the pontoons.
* There are three main launch points for water craft which are as follows.
- Kerrs Reach pontoons
- Owles Terrace boat ramp
- Bower Bridge ramp." (CCC, Environment Canterbury)


2009. Downriver view of Kerrs Reach pontoons & boat ramps, Avon River, Christchurch. Union Rowing Club right & Arawa Canoe Club in distance. Union Rowing Club tilted into liquefaction ooze during the 4 Sept 2010 quake. It was trashed by the 22.02.11 quake, demolished & rebuilt


2009. Avon Rowing Club Advert on Union Rowing Club wall, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Rowing Clubs direction board, Kerrs Reach carpark, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Avon Rowing Club, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. The carpark was badly cracked during the 4 Sept 2010 quake. Avon Rowing Club was trashed by the 22.02.11 quake, demolished & rebuilt

I looked at the aluminium boat ramps and aluminium and plastic pontoons on the bank below Canterbury Rowing Club, Union Rowing Club and Avon Rowing Club. A woman walker stood by a clubhouse sheltering from the wind.

I snapped Avon Rowing Club building and its advert boards on outside walls. Near KERRS REACH signboard, I crossed the clubs' carpark roadbridge over the old Avon meander.


2009. Kerrs Reach Board on Avon River meander roadbridge, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. The road, carpark & meander were badly damaged during the 4 Sept 2010 quake


2009. Upriver view of beginning of Kerrs Reach (right), by a meander & Avon River confluence, near Avon Rowing Club, Christchurch. Avon Park soccer field left


2009. Avonside Dr downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Rowing clubhouses right


2009. Avonside Dr upriver view of concrete footbridge over Avon River to Locksley Ave right, Christchurch. Both roads were badly damaged during the 4 Sept 2010 quake

At the beginning of Kerrs Reach where the Avon narrowed again, I watched soccer being played on Avon Park soccer field. I took a last look down Kerrs Reach, and by the concrete footbridge again, I passed another concrete and padlocked iron-grilled stormwater outlet.

On my river walks I'd passed hundreds of drainpipes spewing into the Avon River and Heathcote River. I continued along the clay track by Avonside Dr, and crossed Gayhurst Rd Bridge to my car. The walk took me 2.5 hours.


2009. Avonside Dr upriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Ave right


2009. Avonside Dr upriver view of Gayhurst Rd Bridge over Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Ave right

One warm afternoon during Christmas holidays, I parked my car under trees at Locksley Ave opposite Kerrs Reach rowing clubs, where Leah and I watched male and female rowers training: slow single sculls, faster double sculls (2 scull and 4 scull boats), 4 person boats going fastest, all making progress going backwards.

Along riversides, slow kayakers made progress going forwards. Trainers cycling along the riverbank kept up with scullers, while shouting instructions at scullers, or using megaphones. Scullers rowed downriver, then turned out of our sight and returned upriver to rowing clubs, then turned at Avon River bend, then reprised.

Coda: During the 4 Sept 2010 quake and aftershocks, Gayhurst Rd, Avonside Dr, New Brighton Rd and Locksley Ave were badly damaged. Many houses, sewage pipes and water pipes were damaged, causing people to use Portaloos for months.

Union Rowing Club tilted onto liquefaction ooze. The rowing clubs carpark, Avon River meander and Porritt Park hockey stadium were badly damaged by quake cracks and liquefaction.

Subsequent 22.02.11 quake and 13.06.11 quake caused more damages to roads infrastructure, housing and Kerrs Reach rowing clubs. Christ's College Rowing, Union Rowing Club & Avon Rowing Club were demolished & rebuilt. The riverside areas along Locksley Ave, Gayhurst Rd, New Brighton Rd & Avonside Dr were red zoned. Houses were abandoned & demolished.



Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.