Gap Filler and Volunteers – New Zealand style

Gap Filler is a creative urban regeneration initiative started in response to the September 4, 2010 Canterbury earthquake, and revised and expanded in light of the more destructive February 22, 2011 quake. It is now administered by the Gap Filler Charitable Trust.
Gap Filler aims to temporarily activate vacant sites within Christchurch with creative projects for community benefit, to make for a more interesting, dynamic and vibrant city.

HH met with Gap Filler rep Coralie Winn and also Simon Gurnsey from the Volunteer Army Foundation at the Pallet Pavilion (Built by the community | For the community  and yes it is made of shipping pallets and provides an exciting and active central city venue for all)

The VAF was established by the founders of the Student Volunteer Army in 2011. The Volunteer Army is a Christchurch based charitable trust whose mission is to support, promote and facilitate volunteering.

 Coralie and Simon inside the Pallet Pavilion

Both groups are working hard not just to repair and repopulate the city but to re-think the way people can continue to make cities and be involved in the planning and life of the city. As time progresses the earthquake threat is replaced by government’s need for big solutions and the accommodation of big development schemes.

HH can see parallels with the philosophy behind the remaking of Christchurch New Zealand, a natural disaster, with the remaking of Indigenous communities and housing in Australia, a constructed disaster. It is all about the philosophy.

Check the web links above and support both groups by sending them a g’day and a well done.