CHRISTCHURCH DREAMING

  RRP: $49.99 | HARPERCOLLINS Publishers

 Christchurch dreaming is a memento of Christchurch for its citizens, for Cantabrians and all New Zealanders. With priceless images of the past, wonderful photos of the Christchurch and Canterbury we still have, and exciting new concepts and dreams for a beautiful Christchurch of tomorrow, Christchurch dreaming represents the heart of a city, a region, and its people. I am sure this book will be sent to ex-pat Cantabrians wherever they are and equally locals will buy it in the thousands. Truly stunning. 

 It features photos of the Christchurch we knew and loved, and also much of the beautiful Christchurch and Canterbury we still have. The final chapter contains creative plans by some of New Zealand’s most talented architects who share their exciting concepts for the Christchurch of our future.

 A special feature of the book is the many messages contributed by well-known Cantabrians, including the Prime Minister, Mayor Bob Parker, Dan Carter, Sir Richard Hadlee and Richie McCaw, as well as Christchurch and Canterbury citizens from all walks of life, on what they love about their city and their vision for its future. Canterbury people usually keep their feelings hidden behind a stoic attitude to life but in this book they offer the reader a glimpse of the deep passion and love they hold for their region.

 About the author:

Mary Hobbs published the award-winning New Zealand Outside magazine for 10 years and won the first New Zealand Tourism Media Award. She is the author of Kiwi Tucker for the Soul, a bestselling collection of inspirational stories about New Zealanders; Letters to New York and America, from New Zealand with Love and The Spirit of Mountaineering, Volume 1, about the early history of mountain guiding at Aoraki-Mt Cook.

In 2010 Mary wrote Matagouri and Other Pricks – The Journey to Aoraki-Mount Cook, a rollicking read about her and her husband Charlie’s adventures from Tibet to Antarctica; to Nepal with Sir Edmund Hillary; and to New York, Washington and the White House in the aftermath of 9/11. It also includes the adventures of a nursing career, a career in magazine publishing and writing, mountain guiding, and  the story of Mary and Charlie’s battle to open The Old Mountaineers’ Restaurant and Historic Gallery in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park. 

In September 2010 Mary and her husband worked alongside other Cantabrians helping to clear liquefaction from the homes of others. They were also there as part of a volunteer crew on the night of 22 February and worked beside some amazing people in the inner CBD and at Sumner during those first two weeks. Mary felt the pain, the shock and the incredible resilience of her fellow Cantabrians.

 “Christchurch dreaming is a book created by Cantabrians, or people who have called it home. It seeks to remind us of what we still have to enjoy here, and why we love it. We will create a beautiful city by building on the strong foundations of our past. By combining this with our great people and wonderful ideas, we can create an even richer future. That is Christchurch dreaming.” ― Mary Hobbs

 A percentage of the sales of Christchurch Dreaming will be donated to a  Christchurch earthquake relief charity.

Sample pages from the book below:

Above picture -  What do I love about Christchurch? Running on the Port Hills as the sun rises, with the soft morning light reflecting on the snow-covered foothills, the city just starting to wake below. Seeing tall buildings in the distance and knowing that the heart of our city will beat again.
I am confident that the people of our city care about each other and the future of our region. The Kiwi ‘can do’ attitude will see us through if we just keep talking to each other and sharing our collective vision for what this city is, and will be, for us.
Roger SuttonChief Executive - Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA)

 Above picture - Christchurch holds a special place in my heart. I was born in a small country town not
many miles from the Big Smoke. I grew up by the beach, in the sheltered hand of the Port Hills. I grew up knowing I was home when I could see the cherry blossoms waving and dancing alongside Hagley Park, and smell the waft of freshly mown grass on a Canterbury nor’wester. From above, the view of the endless Canterbury Plains, joining the sea with the mountains, calls to me when I arrive home again. No matter how far the travels have taken me, these sights, these views, are the image of home.
My most vivid memories of Christchurch are of my days at St Andrew’s. I laughed, lived and grew. I rowed on the Avon, biked through the centre of the city and spent weekend days lounging on the green grass of the fields that seemed to stretch on forever. There was always a sense of history. History in its truest sense, as a part of the past, and history in its more evolving sense, as today’s present becoming tomorrow’s past.
The prospect of the rebuild brings exciting opportunities for a clean, green and thoroughly modern city that recognizes and values its heritage. Our history is not contained within rubble, it is ever present in our collective memory and experiences. Those continued experiences and determination to maintain a living history will result in a city that holds on to the past while resolutely looking forward to a new future.
Poppie Gerber - High School English Teacher. Ski Patroller, Mount Hutt