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The earthquake of February 22 will still feel raw to most of us come Wednesday when we mark the first anniversary of that unforgettable day.
We will all pause to commemorate the dead and remember the bereaved and the injured and all that has been lost. Then we will carry on as we know we must. Moving on could be the theme for 2012.
A year, of course, is nothing – many have yet to overcome their injuries – and it is far too early to make extravagant pronouncements about how the city is coping. In 10 years we might think the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 are fading into history but not on Wednesday.
Inevitably, we will all take stock and most of us, I suspect, will not be too sure how to feel about this incredible year.
Our degree of optimism will depend a lot on our individual circumstances.
One city leader, who will admit his personal circumstances are comfortable, privately says the city is a much more exciting and vibrant place than the rather staid and boring metropolis it was before the earthquakes.
In another boat, a former colleague of mine is still suffering the effects of a serious earthquake injury and, although she wants to leave her eastern suburb, hardly any progress has been made on her badly damaged house.
We can all agree we no longer feel the same about our city. Christchurch used to be regarded as a slightly gentler and more benign place than other New Zealand cities. It was seen as a good place to bring up children and its citizens always seemed more settled than elsewhere. People seemed more content with their lot and were less inclined to chase jobs in other cities.
That sense has been lost and replaced by an ever-present wariness. We can be better prepared but we have absolutely no control over what is happening 10 kilometres below us. Read more
Sources
- Martin van Beynen in The Press
- Image: anglicantaonga
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News category: Analysis and Comment.
