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Hack Circle

Buildings and structures in ChristchurchChristchurch Central CityDemolished buildings and structures in New ZealandSport in Christchurch
HackCircle
HackCircle

The Hack Circle or Hack was a nickname given to an amphitheatre in central Christchurch, New Zealand. It was built as part of the second phase of developing a pedestrian mall in the central city in 1989 and was officially opened on 6 December of that same year by then mayor Vicki Buck. For a time it was a popular Hacky Sack venue (hence the name), later it became a popular hang out for "black-dressed emos, goths, heavy metal fans and United States style gangstas". A 2004 survey conducted by the Christchurch City Council identified the Hack Circle as a popular place for young people to "hang out, smoke, meet friends etc." The same survey found that 90% of 13- to 15-year-olds and 94% of 16- to 18-year-olds came to the central city in their spare time. Christchurch police claimed the Hack Circle was a venue for criminal activity; on 20 October 2006, a 19-year-old was arrested for swinging a metal pipe around, and police claim that aggravated robbery, assault and the trafficking of cannabis happened in the area. Sergeant Murry Hurst told The Press that "Ninety per cent of the kids hanging around there are fine, the other 10% cause the problems."In February 2007 Senior Sergeant Glenn Dobson told The Press that the young people in the Hack Circle were not as intimidating as they could look to others, and commented that "[W]e can't move them on because they look different". Millionaire Christchurch property owner Antony Gough, who is considered one of the most powerful people in the city was an advocate of stronger security for the Cashel Street mall, particularly the Hack Circle, telling The Press that the people who associate there "are just very scary".

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Hack Circle (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Hack Circle
City Mall, Christchurch Central City

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

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N -43.533 ° E 172.6379 °
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City Mall
8011 Christchurch, Central City
Canterbury, New Zealand
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HackCircle
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Fisher's Building
Fisher's Building

The Fisher's Building (also known as the Hanafins Building) was a 19th-century Venetian Gothic building located in central Christchurch, New Zealand. It was designed in 1872 by architect William Armson and constructed from concrete and brick in 1880 on a central city site leased to Thomas Richard Fisher, who ran a tea and grocery store. The building was known for its prominent verandah, ornate design, and distinct corner shape. A category-one heritage-listed property, the Fisher's Building was one of the few surviving examples of Venetian Gothic architecture in Christchurch. It was also the last surviving structure on Hereford Street designed by Armson, who had designed several commercial buildings in the area. Built as an extension to what was then the City Chambers, it occupied a corner site on the intersection of High Street and Hereford Street, giving it a distinctive triangle shape from above. Following Fisher's death in 1890, the building was inherited by his estate and passed to numerous owners in the subsequent decades, until it was purchased in 1922 by Henry Slater Richards, who transferred it to his three sons in 1926. The brothers held joint interest until the 1970s, when it was transferred to Pyne Gould Guinness Limited in 1979 following a successful restoration project. In 1929, the building became associated with James George Hanafin, who operated a chemist from property. In the 1980s, his descending relative Lawry Hanafin opened a photography store from the property, operating it for 30 years as one of the last tenants to run a business from the site. Despite being strengthened and well cared for, the Fisher's Building was badly damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. It was demolished in July 2011, with Hanafin watching the demolition. As of 2024, the site has remained empty and is used for car parking.

Majestic Theatre, Christchurch
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ChristChurch Cathedral
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