Rising to the occasion: Alison Adams
Christchurch knows how to step up to the plate, and the city is now entering its next stage of growth.
Ōtautahi Christchurch is entering 2026 with unmistakable confidence. You could feel it as we hosted the Special Olympics National Summer Games in December. Thousands of athletes and volunteers bringing our venues to life, and Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre stepping onto the national stage in exactly the way it was built for.
It was also a great pleasure to be at the opening night of The Art of Banksy exhibition at Te Pae last month, which runs till 27 January. As a global capital of street art (as named by Lonely Planet), we are a fitting host for this thought-provoking style of political and satirical street art, with its dark humour, subversive irony and pop culture. Cantabrians have turned up in droves to see it. You can feel that same excitement this month as well, with the spectacle and energy that the vibrant and lively World Buskers Festival brings.
Events like these reaffirm how ready we are for the opening of One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha in April, and our next stage of growth as a city.
What excites me most is that this progress is shared – shaped by community, business, volunteers and partners alike. It’s a great foundation for the year ahead.
