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The Christchurch thread

The Christchurch thread

Old Jan 9th 2014, 7:05 pm
  #271  
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Originally Posted by TomandFiona
Hello,

Only just found this site so thought we'd touch base. We've just got our visa's and we're hoping to fly over from Derbyshire in a couple of months. We're in our mid 30's and we've got 2 kids aged 2 and 10. I've got a job at The Flooring Centre and Fiona will be helping the children to settle at least to start with.

We are nervous but looking forward to the adventure and making new friends.
Good luck with it! Seems like you have made a decision. My only advice would be to ship as much as stuff as you can, as you'll find most things more expensive to buy here.

I have to ask, what made you guys decide to do this? I am about to do the opposite to you. I will be moving back to the UK in the next 3-6 months, either to North Yorkshire, the midlands, New Forest or Cornwall. So much to figure out, but we'll get there.
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 7:31 pm
  #272  
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Smile Re: The Christchurch thread

Originally Posted by TomandFiona
Hello,

Only just found this site so thought we'd touch base. We've just got our visa's and we're hoping to fly over from Derbyshire in a couple of months. We're in our mid 30's and we've got 2 kids aged 2 and 10. I've got a job at The Flooring Centre and Fiona will be helping the children to settle at least to start with.

We've got a theory of finding a school we like and working back from there as regards to deciding where we will live. From her research online my wife has pin marked Cashmere School, does anyone have any feedback on this or any other suggestions to hopefully expand our options.

We are nervous but looking forward to the adventure and making new friends.
Hi! How exciting for you all! Myself and my husband brought our three boys to live in Christchurch in September 2013. Actually my husband arrived in July, then the rest of us followed.

We started in a rental in Halswell, the school is nice and the teachers great. We found a house to buy in Cashmere pretty quickly. We moved in on 29th November. The kids started at Cashmere Primary on 2nd December. We really like Cashmere School. There's a great atmosphere and the kids are all really friendly. Living in Cashmere with children is great too. We're very close to Victoria Park and the bike trails and walking tracks. Our road is very safe for kids flitting in and out of their friends houses through the valleys, creek and walkways.


We love it here! The only downside is having to go a bit further to grab milk and bread that we may need for the following mirning if we've forgotten to buy it that day. It can be a pain driving to the bottom of the hill! There aren't any corner shops/dairies on the hill.

If you are set on Cashmere, I would definitely suggest getting your first rental here before buying. We settled on a rental in Halswell and the poor kids have had to move schools which isn't ideal having just emigrated.

I'm sure you've read a lot about rental properties in Chch. You can be lucky, however, be prepared to pay high rent for a less than ideal property.

If there's anything else you need to know, feel free to inbox me.

Good luck!
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 7:42 pm
  #273  
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Is this the flooring centre on Blenheim Road near Riccarton???

If your out that way, oh there are some nice areas - have a look at Avonhead in particular. I have some glowing references from Avonhead school as a few kids of colleagues of mine go there. From there, I think the next school is Burnside - off Memorial Avenue, again a good school from the sound of things

I think the areas your looking at, you'll not get affected by Peraltas movement

Have you considered the Selwyn district by the way? Rolleston in particular = magnificent place. Out of my budget unfortunately but i'd give up a kidney to move there. It'll be so easy to get to Blenheim Road from there, infact probably quicker than going through 27,500 traffic cones and potholes. Plus if you decide to buy, rates are generally cheaper there than Christchurch.

Enjoy the move over
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 7:43 pm
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Originally Posted by davros1984
Good luck with it! Seems like you have made a decision. My only advice would be to ship as much as stuff as you can, as you'll find most things more expensive to buy here.

I have to ask, what made you guys decide to do this? I am about to do the opposite to you. I will be moving back to the UK in the next 3-6 months, either to North Yorkshire, the midlands, New Forest or Cornwall. So much to figure out, but we'll get there.
Thanks. A few things really have led to the decision. Weather, outdoor activities, population and curiosity. We're hoping to generally improve the quality of our lives.
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 7:56 pm
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Thanks Larrylou and Tom1983 for the help I'll have a look at those places. My daughter wants to live by the beach but we think it might be a bit far to commute every day.
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 7:58 pm
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

And sorry Tom, yes it is The Flooring Centre in Riccarton.
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 8:07 pm
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Originally Posted by TomandFiona
Thanks Larrylou and Tom1983 for the help I'll have a look at those places. My daughter wants to live by the beach but we think it might be a bit far to commute every day.
What's the maximum length commute time that you could cope with?

I'm not going to recommend New Brighton to you but there are some places that could be doable which are by the beach. All depends on the time you want.

Out of curiousity and as you mention outdoor activities, what ones in particular do you like?

Would Fiona be a home stayer or would she want work when the wee one is old enough for school?
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 8:20 pm
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Originally Posted by Tom1983
What's the maximum length commute time that you could cope with?

I'm not going to recommend New Brighton to you but there are some places that could be doable which are by the beach. All depends on the time you want.

Out of curiousity and as you mention outdoor activities, what ones in particular do you like?

Would Fiona be a home stayer or would she want work when the wee one is old enough for school?
I suppose about 30 minutes really. I'm going to be working on sites but I'm assuming they will all be in or around the city.

As a family we enjoy walking and we're hoping to get in to skiing. My daughter is pretty sporty and I assume my 2 year old lad will be. I enjoy football but the body is starting to get a bit reluctant these days.

I've just been looking at the Selwyn district online and it looks nice.
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 8:21 pm
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Doh. Fiona will definitely want to work once the kids are settled or when the youngest starts school.
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 8:38 pm
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Hi there
I'm LarryLoo's OH and I work in Mandeville St. Riccarton, commuting from Cashmere. It takes me about 16 minutes on a push bike or 20 minutes in a car, to get to work ;-) straight down Barrington to Blenhiem Road.
We liked the idea of living in Sumner near the sea, but the high school zone (Linwood) is what put us off. We know folk who lived there pre quake and out of 45 pupils in the high school intake from their sons primary school, only 3 ended up going to Linwood. Most managed to get into Cashmere (around 12) but you can't bank on this and many went private.
Rolleston and Rangiora are great places with more affordable property but we really wanted to live in Christchurch and having spoken to folk that live out of town, some have moved back in, as they ended up spending hours each weekend ferrying teenage kids to sports events in the city etc.
good luck
Tim
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 8:43 pm
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Thanks Tim, yeah ferrying the kids to clubs/events is definitely something we will have to consider.
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 9:10 pm
  #282  
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Originally Posted by TomandFiona
I suppose about 30 minutes really. I'm going to be working on sites but I'm assuming they will all be in or around the city.

As a family we enjoy walking and we're hoping to get in to skiing. My daughter is pretty sporty and I assume my 2 year old lad will be. I enjoy football but the body is starting to get a bit reluctant these days.

I've just been looking at the Selwyn district online and it looks nice.
Stay around the Selwyn area - Rolleston in particular. Easy access to some nice walks and to head up to Darfield area for

Halswell is another place i'd recommend. Your close to lake ellesmere, where I was hoping to fish one day. If you see the new fault there, ask how long it will be before she moves

Parklands would take a fair wee while, Sumner i'd avoid for the time being and the other places i would have recommended may add a bit too much onto your journey, for example Kaiapoi
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Old Jan 10th 2014, 12:22 am
  #283  
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

We live NW of the City in Burnside not far from Chch Airport. I have rellies living in Belfast (Chch!) not far along SH1.Any road East will take you to mile after mile of empty sandy beach turn left on SH1 and you are heading for the Ski fields. Burnside is a good school catchment area and Jelly Park has lovely swimming facilities. The area was hardly touched by the big bangs. The Waimakariri river is quite near for fishing and the Chinook Salmon will be running in Feb....average catch size 15lbs.
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Old Jan 10th 2014, 1:42 am
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

one little negative of the Selwyn is that a lot of the activity is epicentered around there

we had a lovely jolt a few minutes ago from there.
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Old Jan 10th 2014, 5:56 am
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Default Re: The Christchurch thread

Our first quake Tom!

Not bad for day 5!!
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