Christchurch can be a pretty hard place to love at the moment – the cordons around our once vibrant CBD, the rubble and broken roads mean we are surrounded by depressing reminders of the earthquakes. 

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But stroll through the gorgeous Botanical Gardens, feel the sun on your back at the beach, take in the vistas from Victoria Park and the vibrancy of the ReStart container mall and we all realise why we still love this place and why Christchurch, broken or not, is still one of the best cities in New Zealand.   

That love and excitement will grow as the rebuild takes shape and, most importantly, people’s homes are repaired.

In the meantime, it’s amazing to take stock of the change going on around us and how we’re managing to host incredible events like Cup and Show Week, Ellierslie International Flower Show, and the Buskers Festival that help ensure Christchurch is still an incredible place to live.

By Jo Scott - Newstalk ZB's chief reporter in Christchurch

Photo: christchurchnz.com

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