Ivan Iafeta: The Influencers

If you visited somewhere outside Christchurch during the holiday period and found several tower cranes and a number of mobile cranes operating in close proximity, it is likely that you considered it to be an area where there was a lot of investment and development happening.

It is also likely that people from outside Christchurch who visited our city and saw just that, had a similar impression – the impact of which cannot be underestimated.

Dynamic cities attract highly skilled people whose efforts have a ripple effect, creating new jobs and driving economic development. Christchurch is well-positioned to accommodate stronger growth and must compete harder to attract a greater share.

This year, Regenerate Christchurch is focussed on identifying and addressing impediments to regeneration in the short, medium and long term.

This will build on our central city momentum work, which has already led to the development and implementation of the central city revitalisation action plan by both the public and private sectors.

All cities have a constant need to regenerate in some shape or form.

The fact that Christchurch’s regeneration phase follows a period of recovery means an ongoing long-term commitment will be essential. Progress can sometimes be obscured from view by familiarity and it is critical that we, as a community, acknowledge and celebrate it. However, there is still plenty to be done.