Northern Motorway Cycle Trail Artwork
The Christchurch Northern Corridor (CNC) was a major construction project which involved building a four-lane motorway to connect Christchurch with North Canterbury. As part of the project, a new shared cycleway and walking track was created along the Northern Corridor.
To bring life and cultural recognition to the project, the CNC Alliance and Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga included eleven steel artworks and information panels at culturally significant sites along the new shared path. This project had many moving parts and was developed collaboratively over several months. Landscape architect Kim Goodfellow came up with the storyboard concept, and the CNC Alliance worked with Ngai Tahu Whakapapa unit manager Arapata Reuben and writer Liz Grant to tell the rich history of the area. Kaitiaki Studios was commissioned to design the artworks and information panels.
This trail was a primary route for Ngāi Tūāhuriri whānau travelling from Kaiapoi Pā to their seasonal mahinga kai, and the land south of the Waimakariri River was an important area for food gathering and preparation. The purpose of the panels was to acknowledge and share the historical significance of the route, alongside the environmental importance of the area.
The design of each panel represents the Taurapa of a great waka, also reflected in the choice of red ochre Corten Steel, which is similar to the red ochre colour of traditional carved waka.
The individual designs tell the stories of the area, indicate the journey of our ancestors, and look ahead to the journeys of future generations. The environment around the information panels has been softened with native tree planting, providing a food source to draw native birds back to the city fringe.
Since the pathway was installed, 350 cyclists per day have travelled along the shared path, and are encouraged to stop at each site and learn the significance of each place.