Girl in little Pink Boots

We had another beautiful day in Christchurch and I said to John lets go out somewhere and we ended up at the Travis Wetland Nature Heritage Park I blipped about a while back.

Not long after leaving the car John tripped over something and had a fall so wasn't too happy about that. We started to walk along the track we were stopped by flood waters. So walked in the opposite direction for a way then turned back again.

After our walk we had a wonderful coffee in North Brighton then made our way to New Brighton and took a walk along the pier. I have never seen so many people on it before maybe because it was such a beautiful warm day without any strong winds blowing.

I spotted a woman walking her cat along the pier.. not something you see every day. It wasn't too happy with a the people about, I don't think but seemed ok otherwise. Then this little girl the girl spotted the cat and wanted to pat it... and she did but I missed that shot!

The mother didn't seem to mind me talking the shot which was good.

New Brighton was named after the English seaside resort with its famous pier. A wooden pier was also built at New Brighton in 1894, but it was demolished in 1965.

The new pier was to be half as long again as the old pier ( 300 metres instead of 200 metres) and the deck wider and 2 metres higher above beach and sea. The Pier Promotion Trust concerned itself with the pier, and immediate access, it being agreed that any land-based structure on the specially zoned foreshore area would be for Council decision. When put to tender the pier itself was contracted for at $2,900,000. It took two years to build.

The new pier was opened with temporary access on November 1, 1997. A function was held at dawn with Maori ceremonial, followed by an opening ceremony at 8 am with the Mayor, Ms Vicki Buck, officiating. Massive fund raising achieved The New Brighton community, with help from some larger donors such as the Christchurch Community Trust, and the Lotteries Board, eventually raised a total of $1.630,000.