Latimer Square

Latimer Square is an urban park in central Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located 400 metres (440 yd) east of the city's centre, Cathedral Square. Many commemorative events take place in Latimer Square.[1] The square lies between the major urban thoroughfares of Gloucester Street and Worcester Street. Madras Street runs north and south to Latimer Square. The square (actually a rectangle) is grassed and crossed by concrete paths and edged by mature trees. It covers an area of a little over 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres).[2]

Latimer Square, Christchurch, New Zealand

History

Like its near neighbour Cranmer Square, Latimer Square was named for an early protestant martyr, Bishop Hugh Latimer. Latimer Square was part of the original design of Christchurch when it was surveyed between 1849 and 1850 by Edward Jollie.[3]

Latimer Square was used for horse racing, sports events and the Agricultural and Pastoral (A & P) Show until the 1880s. Worcester Street was extended through Latimer Square in 1885 to allow the tram line to reach the centre of town. A band rotunda was built at this time and then removed in 1894.[3]

The Prince of Wales attended a civic reception in Latimer Square in 1920. Air raid trenches were dug in Latimer Square during World War 2. The square was again closed off to Worcester Street in 2006.[3] Latimer Square became a well known spot for prostitutes to walk the streets in pre-earthquake Christchurch.[4][5][6][7][8]

Sculpture entitled "Spires" by artist Neil Dawson, located in Latimer Square

The buildings around Latimer Square were badly damaged during the Canterbury quakes of 2010 to 2011 and Latimer Square was used to triage the injured after the earthquake of 22 February 2011.[3] The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Latimer Square in April 2014 to help promote the 2015 Cricket World Cup. [9] A sculpture, commemorating the loss of ChristChurch Cathedral in the 2011 earthquake was installed by its artist, Neil Dawson, in the square in 2014.

Notable buildings

Many of the buildings which surrounded Latimer Square were either destroyed during, or demolished in the aftermath of, the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, among them .

Christchurch Transitional Cathedral
Christchurch Transitional Cathedral. Latimer Square

Since the earthquake, the square has been the site of the city's temporary Anglican Cathedral also known as the Cardboard Cathedral.

St John the Baptist Church

One of Christchurch's first stone churches, St John the Baptist Anglican church, was built close to the square in 1864.[10]

St John the Baptist Church, Latimer Square was significantly damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes and subsequently demolished.

Fletcher Building housing developments
New apartments going up overlooking Latimer Square (October 2020)

With many of the buildings surrounding Latimer Square demolished, Fletcher Building won the tender to master plan and build housing in the area. With development continuing, initial sales have been reported to be slow in the media.[11][12][13]

Christchurch Club
Christchurch Club, Latimer Square

The Christchurch Club's buildings, with repairs completed after the earthquake, are also located on Latimer Square. It is a category 1 historic place built in between 1861 and 1862.[14]

Occidental Hotel
Occidental Hotel, in a neglected state (2009)

The Occidental Hotel (208 Hereford Street) was built  in 1861. It was designed by Samuel Coleridge Farr. It was originally known as Collins' Family Hotel and Boarding House. In 1889, it became known as the Occidental. In 1982 the hotel was renovated. Sheppard and Rout (Architects) designed the refurbishment which included a lounge bar and restaurant. Flappers, a bar with a 1930s theme which opened in October 1985. In 1996, Flappers became the Bull Bar. In 1998 it was turned into a backpackers hotel. It became progressively run down and closed down in August 2006. It was demolished in 2011 after sustaining earthquake damage. The Occidental was registered as a Category II historic place (#1913)[15][16][17]

Charlie B's Backpackers
Charlie B's Backpackers. Sited on Latimer Square prior to being demolished.

Charlie B's sat at the northern end of Latimer Square. It was demolished after the Canterbury earthquakes. A competition was held for the design of replacement buildings for the site. The competition judging panel included Kevin McCloud from the UK television series Grand Designs.[18] The competition was won by Italian architects Anselmi Attiani Architettura and engineers Cresco in 2013 to redevelop the site. Their plans stalled in 2015 with the Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) declaring that the developers had failed to meet a deadline to secure the required funding for the project.[19] Gerry Brownlee, the earthquake recovery minister said that the project for the $30 million urban village "should never have started in the first place".[20] A second attempt in 2018 to redevelop the site occurred with the Ōtautahi Urban Guild chosen to develop the site. They had plans for a 150 home development and intended to offer properties for 10 to 20 per cent cheaper than those from private sector.[21] Despite getting a loan of $450,000 from the Christchurch City Council in 2019[22] the development collapsed in December 2020.[23] The site still remains vacant in 2020.[24]

Park Tower
Park Tower, Latimer Square. One of the few remaining tall buildings in Christchurch.

One of Christchurch's few tall apartment buildings, it was on the Christchurch City Council's "Dirty 30" list of buildings holding up the central city rebuild.[25] Repair work is complete in October 2020.

Radio Network House
Implosion of Radio Network House, Latimer Square

Radio Network House was imploded after suffering damage in the Canterbury earthquakes. [26]

Rydges Latimer Hotel
The Rydges Latimer Hotel, Latimer Square with the Bloody Marys restaurant

The Latimer Lodge was one of the first hotels to be redeveloped after the Canterbury earthquakes costing an estimated $25 million dollars. The foundations designed to withstand future earthquakes took about 14 weeks to complete and required about 900 cubic metres of concrete[27] The Latimer Lodge rebranded as a Rydge's Hotel. It has an estimated 138 rooms.[28]

References
  1. "Latimer Square". ccc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  2. "Latimer Square," Christchurch City Council. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  3. "Christchurch City Council District Plan HERITAGE ASSESSMENT – STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE HERITAGE ITEM NUMBER 325 LATIMER SQUARE" (PDF). www.ccc.govt.nz. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  4. "Oh! Latimer Square". QuakeStories. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  5. "Sex workers return to old haunt". Stuff. 2013-04-21. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  6. SWEETMAN, BRIDIE (9 September 2017). "PROTECTING THE SEXUAL HEALTH AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS OF STREET-BASED SEXWORKERS IN CHRISTCHURCH". Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  7. "Prostitution, crime deterred in new Christchurch CBD". 1 NEWS. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  8. Drury, Glenys I (2018). Contested landscapes: An exploration into street-based sex work and its implications for urban design in Christchurch, New Zealand (Dissertation). School of Landscape Architecture, Lincoln University. hdl:10182/10057.
  9. "Royal tour heads to Christchurch". Stuff. 2014-04-14. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  10. "The Squares of Christchurch," Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  11. "Christchurch mayor suggests attracting Auckland businesses could boost CBD population". Stuff. 2020-10-09. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  12. "Concern at sluggish sales of central Christchurch's east frame homes". Stuff. 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  13. "Fletcher 'positive' about new Christchurch housing project in tough market". Stuff. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  14. "Clubs keen to reopen doors in city". Stuff. 2011-11-14. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  15. "Remembering Christchurch hangouts of the 80s and 90s". Stuff. 2017-03-17. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  16. "Occidental Hotel". canterburystories.nz. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  17. "Perry's Occidental Hotel (Christchurch, N.Z.)". Perry's Occidental Hotel (Christchurc... | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  18. "Italian firm designs urban village for Chch". Stuff. 2013-10-22. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  19. "Breathe a 'lost opportunity'". Stuff. 2015-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  20. "Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee slates Breathe Urban Village". Stuff. 2015-07-03. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  21. "Sustainable apartment plan chosen for Crown-owned Christchurch site". Stuff. 2018-12-21. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  22. "Christchurch community housing project gets ratepayer money". Stuff. 2019-11-28. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  23. "Second proposal for 'demonstration' village in central Christchurch collapses". Stuff. 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  24. "Crown calls time on central Christchurch residential development". Stuff. 2015-11-20. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  25. "Insurance wrangles delay progress on Christchurch's 'dirty 30' list of derelict properties". Stuff. 2017-05-25. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  26. "Radio Network House imploded". Stuff. 2012-08-05. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  27. "Latimer Hotel – first on the block". Architecture Now. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  28. "Rydges Latimer boosts city's room numbers". Stuff. 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2020-10-17.

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